Love And War
by tiramisuspice
Summary: Random Lucaya one-shots ranging from sweet and WAFFy to fun and flirty to angsty and depressing!
1. All In

**This is a set of random one-shots/drabbles/vignettes/headcanons/prompts/ideas that I had, but couldn't write very well or fashion into a more coherent story. I will be updating this every week or so. The goal is to keep writing one-shots until Lucas and Maya get together.  
**

 **And here's a truth: I've only seen Girl Meets Gravity of S2. I'm planning on watching one episode every week so that the wait for new episodes won't be too long (at least for now)... Hahah so if there's outdated info in any of the more canon compliant pieces, sorry!**

 **Enjoy!**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own GMW.**

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 **Title: All In  
Pairings&Characters: Lucaya, Riley, Farkle  
Genre: Romance, Humor, AU  
Rating: Mid-High T for Thrills  
Summary: The stakes are too high for Maya. But that doesn't stop her from playing the game.**

* * *

Maya licked her lips nervously and swallowed thickly, staring at Lucas as she slowly exhaled. His fervid gaze was slowly burning her and the dangerous smirk on his lips only served to remind her that she had most definitely screwed herself over with this mess.

Some idea _this_ had been.

In retrospect, she probably should have known better than to agree to a game of frickin' strip poker when she barely had on any clothes in the first place, but she had been drunk and Lucas was drunk and they were both bored so at the time, she'd been all for it.

At least until now. Now when she realized she had forgone a bra and gone commando for the evening and her only article of clothing remaining was her strapless black bodycon dress. The very dress that she had just lost.

"Fuck my life…"

 _~Earlier that evening~_

Maya poked at Riley's booted ankle, nudging her a bit roughly to see if she would wake. She couldn't see Riley's face, since she was passed out with her head under her bed, but if her soft snores were any indication, the jolting had not affected her in the least.

"She's out cold."

Lucas leaned back against Riley's bed, sighing, "And Farkle's passed out on the toilet."

"Damn." Maya took a swig of the bottle at her side, reveling in the warmth pooling in her stomach from the Fireball. "There goes the rest of our party."

They had gone out to eat downtown with some other people to celebrate a mutual friend's successful completion of their MCAT exam. It had been a pleasant, tame night discussing future plans and just chatting about their lives and catching up. Naturally, college had been getting in the way of the four friends, who hadn't had a chance to hang out as a group for quite a while. So after being dropped off back on campus, the four had all congregated in Riley's room to catch up some more and continue their night. Maya had brought some liquor, Farkle had brought some snacks and games, and they'd been taking shots and chilling all night.

But now Riley and Farkle were definitely done for the evening. They were definite lightweights.

Maya groaned in annoyance, slumping flat on her back on the fluffy sapphire rug, "I'm bored Lucas. There's nothing to do…"

Lucas picked up the booze, taking a shot's worth himself before shaking the near empty bottle.

"And we're almost out of liquor." He added, "Where's the rest of your secret stash?"

"That _was_ the rest of my secret stash…"

Maya rolled over with a loud, obnoxious sigh. She didn't even care that she could feel her dress riding up her thighs. Though... she did mentally note the way Lucas' gaze clung to her exposed skin with interest, his cheeks a light shade of red (due to being caught or from the alcohol, she honestly couldn't tell).

"Well…" he said, his eyes still on her upper thighs, "There is something else we can do."

She glared at him, "I'm drunk, but not _that_ drunk Lucas. I am so not hooking up with you."

"Something more fun than that." he said, picking up Farkle's deck of cards with a seemingly innocuous smile on his lips.

"Do tell." She said, yanking herself up from the floor. "Anything beats sitting here doing nothing and wallowing in our own self-pity."

"Strip poker." He said simply with a shrug, "What do we have to lose?"

Maya scoffed, staring at him incredulously and wondering if Lucas had hit his head on Riley's bed frame while she hadn't been paying attention.

Maya was certainly drunk. She knew that much from the fact that her vision swam occasionally and from the fact that walking to the room in her pumps had shot her already terrible balance to the point where she had to hold on to walls to get down the hallway. But she also knew that she wasn't drunk enough to engage in a ridiculous game where her dignity would be on the line. Strip poker with Lucas? No way in hell.

"How drunk are you, Ranger Rick?" she rolled her eyes, "Strip poker? Really?"

"Should have known you'd be too scared. You're all bark and no bite Maya." He taunted, finishing off the last of the cinnamon-flavored whiskey.

Maya growled under her breath. She didn't know if it was amplified anger from being called out on being scared—quite wrongly, might she add. She was not _scared_ —or from the fact that Lucas had just drunk the last of their only liquor, but suddenly, she wanted him to eat his words. He was so going down.

"Deal the cards, Heehaw." She said with narrowed eyes, "We're playing."

"You sure?" he asked as he shuffled the deck, "I've got on a lot more clothes than you."

"Doesn't make a difference." She said arrogantly, "I'll still kick your ass."

His nasty answering smirk as he dealt out five cards to each of them made Maya's hair stand on end, and she momentarily felt trepidation. He was trying to psych her out. This was a game of total chance. While the stakes _were_ very clearly in his favor, Maya was a pretty lucky girl. Especially when Riley was around (not that Riley was awake or anything).

Her hand wasn't good. But it wasn't particularly bad. Three eights and some other garbage. She glanced up over her hand at Lucas' face. His expression was inscrutable, and he was watching her, a little spark of something dancing in his eyes.

"Jewelry doesn't count." Lucas stated.

"Neither do belts." She countered.

"Fair enough." He responded, laying down his cards for her to see. She released her anticipatory breath when she saw his cards. Two sevens and a whole lotta nothing. This would be a piece of cake.

Maya sneered and put her cards triumphantly down as well, "First round goes to me."

Lucas said nothing and slipped off his boots, that infuriating little smile still on his face.

He dealt the next hand, and they played once again. And once again, Lucas had one pair, and Maya had a three of a kind of fours. Lucas stood up, keeping his eyes on Maya's, and made a big show of slowly unbuckling his belt, unbuttoning his pants, and sliding them down his legs before tossing them carelessly in a corner. Maya bit her bottom lip to keep from smiling widely at his impromptu strip tease. He looked ridiculous.

"Pink hearts?" she snorted, trying to contain her laughter as he sat back down.

"Laundry hasn't been washed yet." He said with a secretive smile and no visible embarrassed reaction to her words whatsoever.

Maya wasn't sure how she felt about this Lucas, unaffected in the least by her jab at his underwear. Under normal circumstances, a cute light blush might have made its way on his face. She suspected it had a lot to do with the alcohol, and she wouldn't lie, it was simultaneously turning her on and freaking her out. Not to mention, he had lost two rounds already, yet for some reason, he was acting as if he had already won the game.

"Whatever. Just deal."

He obliged, serving them both five cards.

Maya won the round, beating his high card with a beautiful two pair of twos and kings.

"Your shitty shuffling is going to cost you this game Lucas." She laughed as he dramatically peeled off his button down. To her dismay, he had on a white t-shirt underneath the shirt. And she could vaguely map out the outline of a wife beater underneath that.

"Next round?" he asked, not a speck of nervousness in his gaze.

Maya nodded, and Lucas dealt their cards. She watched him as he picked his up, trying to decode his poker face, but he gave nothing away.

"Maya?"

She narrowed her eyes but picked up her cards.

 _Shit._

Nothing but random cards, the high card being a useless nine. She hoped he had a crappy hand because this was not the hand to win. He'd had bad hands himself all night. Maybe she could get lucky and win off of a useless hand.

No such luck.

Maya lost to him off of a flush and rolling her eyes, she pried off her pumps, throwing them off to the side. So he won one round. Whatever. It was no big deal. She'd bounce back.

"You better hope you don't lose any other rounds Maya." Lucas said lowly, staring holes at her dress.

She narrowed her eyes, "Why?"

And then she froze when she realized this was her last article of clothing. The only thing left to wager in this twisted game of push and pull. If she lost again, the game would be over.

She gasped a bit in shock at her realization and her eyes flew to Lucas' in alarm. He winked at her in answer and dealt another round of cards, unperturbed by Maya's sudden anxiety.

A flush. A straight, jack high.

She had narrowly won that round. Maya breathed out heavily through her nose while Lucas pulled his t-shirt over his head. In disdain, she realized he still had three more pieces of clothes to go. And he knew it too, if the smugness rolling off of him in waves was any indication.

The next hand was much the same.

She beat him with a two pair over his one.

He removed his socks.

Despite the fact that he was very quickly about to join the same boat, Lucas' unconcerned expression never wavered. It was unnerving to Maya. Why the hell was he so calm about this when he was about to lose his clothes too? As far as she could tell, they were in the same boat. (Except that they _weren't_ and her removing her dress and showing off her goods was on a whole other level than him taking off his shirt.)

Lucas dealt another hand, and Maya slowly picked up her cards.

Nothing.

She had absolutely nothing.

She couldn't win with this set unless Lucas also had shitty cards.

"Your hand?"

She dropped it to the ground, feigning confidence though she was sweating. Her heart was racing and she could hear the heartbeat in her ears. This game had become sudden death before she even realized it.

No.

With trepidation, she realized it had always been sudden death from the start for her.

Lucas looked at her cards and then brought his gaze back up to hers and that's when Maya knew she was screwed. He didn't have any particular expression on his face, but there was just something in the way his sea foam eyes were dancing in the light that told Maya this game was over.

Maya hadn't even noticed what Lucas had planned until it was too late. He had been crafty from the start. He'd bruised her ego and her pride and provoked her into joining without thinking properly of the consequences of such a game. The stakes against her had been huge, but she'd been too blinded by her vexation to pay attention to the fact that she had been set to lose before she even agreed to the game. Poker wasn't just a game of chance. The odds had to be weighed properly before making any decision, and Maya had blown it from the start. Where Lucas had been careful observation and prudent thoughts and considerations, Maya had been reckless and furious and had gotten her ass kicked.

He laid his own hand down slowly.

One.

 _10 of hearts._

Fucking.

 _Jack of hearts._

Card.

 _Queen of hearts._

At.

 _King of hearts._

A.

 _Ace of hearts._

Time.

 _Royal flush._

Her face dropped.

Maya hadn't just lost.

She had been _destroyed_.

"You lose." Lucas said coolly, leaning back on his elbows and watching her impassively. "Take it off."

Maya licked her lips nervously and swallowed thickly, staring at Lucas as she slowly exhaled. His fervid gaze was slowly burning her and the dangerous smirk on his lips only served to remind her that she had most definitely screwed herself over with this mess.

Some idea _this_ had been.

In retrospect, she probably should have known better than to agree to a game of frickin' strip poker when she barely had on any clothes in the first place, but she had been drunk and Lucas was drunk and they were both bored so at the time, she'd been all for it.

At least until now. Now when she realized she had forgone a bra and gone commando for the evening and her only article of clothing remaining was her strapless black bodycon dress. The very dress that she had just lost.

"Fuck my life…"

Lucas' grin grew, and Maya suddenly felt very hot. She was completely fucking naked under the dress! If she took it off, she'd be nude as the day she was born. And the thought of being completely naked in front of Lucas frightened her in some way.

"This is stupid." She crossed her arms, "Do I really have to–"

"You can take it off yourself. Or I can take it off for you." He said bluntly, raising a brow in challenge, "Either way, it's coming off. So which will it be, Maya?"

She was a little taken aback by the abrasiveness of his response. Lucas looked completely serious. She blinked at him, unsure if she was turned on by him or wanted to punch him in the nuts.

Her face burned red, and she clamped her mouth shut, having temporarily lost the ability to respond to his words. Lucas interpreted her hesitation as refusal and slowly crept on his hands and knees towards her, a slight leer on his face. She awkwardly crab-walked backwards out of reflex, alarmed by how fast her pulse was starting to race.

Her eyes widened when she hit the wall, "Lucas, quit playing."

"What makes you think I am?" he said, sinfully low, gaze landing on the ridden-up hem of her dress before sliding back up to her own.

Her breath hitched when he grabbed her ankles, pinning them to the floor so she couldn't move them. She watched him with baited breath, unable to deny her sudden and insatiable need to be _touched_. How he had managed to arouse her so easily, she had no idea.

"I'll ask you once more." He said, somewhat playfully, though his eyes were smoldering and his voice had dropped. "Are you going to take it off?"

Maya was trapped in his gaze and the low ache beneath her navel slowly grew. Did she want to take off the dress herself? Or did she want Lucas to take it off? Either way, she knew how things were going to end tonight if he kept looking at her like that: loud, hot, and sweaty, right there on Riley's rug.

Then Riley groaned from under the bed, waking up from her little nap. The moment was broken, and Lucas and Maya's eyes both shot to their friend.

"Maya?" Riley whined, her voice still slurred, "Maya, I gotta go to the potty."

Lucas let go of her ankles and backed up, though his eyes were still lingering on her legs. "You should probably take care of her."

Maya nodded rapidly and moved to Riley, helping her stand back up without knocking her head on the frame and steadying her when she almost dropped to the ground once again. Maya avoided his gaze entirely, calming herself down and forcing herself to ignore her lusting for Lucas.

"Guess this game is over." Maya said breezily before wrapping her arm around Riley's waist and leaving the room to take her to the communal bathroom at the end of the hall.

"This _isn't_ over Maya…" Lucas said ominously after they had left. "Not by a long shot."


	2. Ever Wonder

**I caved... I ended up watching every episode today lol. GMSECRETS OF LIFE LUCAS THOUGH WTFH WET LUCAS. I thought _that_ was hot as hell! BUT THEN ANGRY LUCAS. HE WAS SO HOT I THOUGHT I WAS GOING TO DIE. I MEAN _DAMN._ Can we have more angry Lucas please? Like seriously?  
**

 **But it kind of makes you wonder, doesn't it? What the hell did he do to get himself expelled? He must have done some really bad shit for them to actually kick him out! Lol and I love how Cory was just standing there nonchalantly while he threatened the guy.  
**

 **And then the question I'm sure everyone is wondering about. Why _does_ he let her call him those names? I love how they strategically left that unanswered and dangling in front of everyone. Lucaya is endgame... No one can convince me otherwise.**

 **Enjoy! And Thank you for the reviews!  
**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own GMW.**

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 **Title: Ever Wonder  
Pairings&Characters: Riley, Lucas, Maya, implied Rucas, speculated Lucaya  
Genre: Angst, Hurt, not exactly canon compliant, not exactly AU  
Rating: K+ for Kecking  
Summary: In which Riley realizes her boyfriend is more compatible with her best friend.  
**

 **A quick Riley word vomit introspection piece. This can be seen as the "sequel" to All For You and Can't Stop (after Lucas and Maya stop being awkward at the end). BUT it isn't _technically._ There are just some references that fit and if you want to see it as a sequel, go right ahead :)  
**

* * *

Riley isn't as clueless or naïve as most people seem to think.

She knows of the lingering glances and small touches that are almost effortless between them. She knows of the long conversations on the phone spent talking about nothing and everything. She knows of late night visits to each other's rooms, consoling and comforting each other. And she knows neither would ever betray her, but can you blame her for being paranoid? She's allowed to be selfish and want Lucas all to herself.

He's _her_ boyfriend.

Sometimes, Riley wonders if she's a masochist. Sometimes, she brings up Maya in conversations with Lucas just to gauge how far gone he is. Just to see how his sea foam eyes fill with warmth as he laughs about her latest antic. Just to see him burn with jealousy when he hears of the latest guy she's been dating. Just to see his discomfort and quick change of the conversation when she points out that he's been staring again.

And she feels sick to her stomach every time.

Sometimes, Riley wonders if she's a sadist. She brings up her movie dates and kisses with Lucas in conversation with Maya just to see how guilty and withdrawn Maya's expression can go. Just to subconsciously remind Maya that Lucas isn't hers. Just to make herself feel better about the fact that whenever Lucas and Maya talk, it's like they are the only two people in their world. And she wants to be part of that world.

And she feels sick to her stomach every time.

Part of her feels bad for doing that to her best friend, but the other part? The part that she tries to keep deeply hidden and tied down under booby traps and multiple locks and keys? That part is _exuberant_.

 _Riley_ won him. And not Maya.

But even if she tries to reassure herself that her place in Lucas' heart is secured, she can't help but feel like she's won a small battle, but will ultimately lose the war.

It's something small she notices at first. The ease with which they bicker and banter. The forced and obviously false annoyance on Maya's face. The fond looks of exasperation on Lucas'. She stupidly thinks it's only their once clashing personalities finally reconciling.

But it becomes bigger things.

Their genuine interests in taking risks. Their dual competitive streak. Maya ends up taking AP French with him, and they spend lunch conversing in the language, sharing inside jokes and often times, unintentionally leaving others out of their conversation. She finds out he and Maya often go to watch horror movies on the weekends because they both like to crack jokes at the expense of the idiot characters. When Shawn takes Maya with him to a ranch he is planning to photograph, and she rides a horse for the first time, Lucas is the first person she tells, even before Riley. By the time the conversation is over, Lucas has invited Maya— _just_ Maya—to come with him to Texas the next time he goes to visit. Riley tries to chalk it up to their burgeoning strong and natural friendship, but she knows the truth.

There's something there.

She starts to notice the innate chemistry and understanding they have with each other.

Both Maya's and Lucas' understanding of being broken. Of living a broken life. He doesn't go to Riley when he needs to talk about serious things. He goes to Maya. When he finally tells Riley about the kid he put in the hospital, she finds out it's only because Maya convinced him to tell Riley too. When he finally tells Riley his parents are no longer together, she finds out it's Maya who helped him get through the divorce. When he finally tells Riley his deep fears of never living up to his father's expectations and of always being followed by the shadow of his past, she finds out it's only because Maya helped him acknowledge them in the first place.

Part of Riley knows she's being a little bit ridiculous, especially since they have done nothing to merit that sort of suspicion or mistrust, but she's insecure.

She's well aware that sometimes their relationship has no substance.

And though she enjoys their calm, relaxing movie nights at her house (unfortunately supervised by her overprotective and nosy father), everything about their relationship is so lethargic. They never fight or argue. He's almost hesitant to wrap his arms around her shoulders or hold her hand, and she's the one who initiates most of the kisses. He's _too_ sweet with her. As if he can't be real with her or is worried he will hurt her or can't take her seriously or something.

But with Maya, Lucas is almost curt to the point of being rude, and he has no qualms berating Maya for her actions or teasing her for no reason other than to rile her up. He has no problems grabbing her hand and pulling her close to him on crowded morning subway rides. He doesn't hold back when he's with Maya.

In the past, Riley used to push it to the side and ignore the small alarms ringing in her head, but it has become increasingly obvious, as she watches their almost vengeful verbal battles during lunch, that there is some type of _spark_ , a fire that she just doesn't feel she has with Lucas. A mutual attraction that continues to drive them towards each other as if they just can't help it.

Riley knows Lucas thinks of her as a Princess, but for the first time ever, she doesn't _want_ to be the Princess. She wants to be the broken village girl with half a mom and a jaded view on life.

People always call her and Lucas a cute couple. A sweet couple. An _adorable_ couple.

But she knows what kinds of things people say about Lucas and Maya behind her back.

"They're gonna end up married, for sure." And "Lucas definitely has a crush on Maya." And "Did you notice how Lucas is the only one Maya lets call her names?" And "Lucas seems like he would be happier with Maya." And her absolute favourite: "I bet they're screwing each other behind Riley's back."

Even the _teachers_ mistake Lucas and Maya for a couple and tell them to stop flirting in the hallways when Riley is standing _right_ _there_ holding his hand.

And they scare her. The rumours and comments really do.

How many of them are actually true?

And Riley wonders: Even if they aren't, how long until that dreaded day when Lucas has an epiphany? How long until he realizes he no longer wants to date her? How long until he realizes what he actually wants is an audacious five foot bombshell blonde with stormy blue eyes and a penchant for mischief?


	3. Mobbed Up

**What even is this? This is ridiculous lol. Cliche af.** **I was laughing my ass off the _entire_ time I was writing it. If this is crazy bad or weird, it is not my fault! Blame my scatterbrained mind.  
**

 **So I did a little research for phrases and nicknames and stuff used so it could be more authentic, lol but idk if it worked. heheheheheh (＃⌒∇⌒＃)ゞ**

 ***cake-eater: a player  
sheik: an attractive ass guy  
**

 **If you have any questions about any of the terms or phrases used, lemme know.**

 **Enjoy! And Thank you for the reviews! I really really appreciate them! :D  
**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own GMW.**

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 **Title: Mobbed Up  
Pairings&Characters: Lucas, Maya (but probably unbelievably OOC. They might as well be different characters altogether)  
Genre: Angst, Crime, Gangster AU (very very very AU. Like unbelievably AU. They might as well be on Jupiter.)  
Rating: T for Tough Luck  
Summary: "I figured I'd weigh my chances before I gave it a shot." "And you thought your chances were high?" Her voice was lilting and unassuming and laced with poison. "No. I figured I would get rejected." He said, "Still. You've spoken more words to me than any of those other guys. I'd say I've succeeded, wouldn't you?"**

 **Shoutout to xXstaticdragonXx for the awesome frickin prompt "LucayaGangsterAU". You're awesome! Thank you :) Apologies if this is _definitely_ not what you were expecting. But lol this was harder to write than I originally thought.  
**

* * *

The speakeasy was full that night, band in full swing, waiters rushing to fill orders and serve drinks, patrons conversing and laughing raucously, flappers and gents Charlestoning all over the floor.

Lucas leaned back in his chair, nursing his scotch on the rocks with a raised eyebrow as he watched the merrymaking from his somewhat isolated table. He wasn't particularly interested in joining the fun times, although he had received a few eyes from some of the more outspoken girls.

No.

His interest lied at the bar.

Even without seeing her face, he knew she was the most beautiful thing he had ever seen. She'd been there every night he'd come. She always sat at the same stool. Always ordered a straight shot of whisky. Always turned down any advances by any of the men who approached. She was mysterious and oblivious in a way that made her seem almost untouchable.

He watched her, the gorgeous, tiny blonde dollface. Legs miles long and her ankles delicately crossed. Fingerless gloved hands nimbly holding her shot. She wore no boa, showcasing the smooth and graceful lines of her neck. She wore a sheer white flapper dress, and had the flapper jewels, but strangely, she kept her hair long, coiled, and unadorned while most women preferred the glittery bob. It tumbled down her back in waves, falling over her shoulders with reckless abandon. She held herself straight and stiff, chin high and an aura of regality over her features.

The perfect woman.

It was a shame she had to die.

Lucas flagged over a waiter, slipping him a couple bucks when he arrived. The waiter tucked it discreetly in his pocket.

"What can I do for you?" he asked Lucas, a congenial smile on his face.

"Get the band to play some tango, will you. Something with a little sex appeal."

He nodded and walked off to do Lucas' bidding. Lucas set down his glass and stood up, straightening his suit and approaching the bar nonchalantly. When he reached the woman at the bar, he removed his fedora, pulling out a rose and setting it next to her.

"A rose for a rose?"

"So." She took a delicate sip of her drink, her eyes still facing front, "You finally decided to approach after all these days of spying on me from afar?"

"I figured I'd weigh my chances before I gave it a shot."

"And you thought your chances were high?"

Her voice was lilting and unassuming and laced with poison.

"No. I figured I would get rejected." He said, "Still. You've spoken more words to me than any of those other guys. I'd say I've succeeded, wouldn't you?"

She set her drink down and finally turned her attention to him, an eyebrow raised in amusement. Lucas felt chills run down his back. Her ruby red lips curled into a dangerous smile as she sized him up. Her eyes were a seductive blue-gray storm of mischief and secrets, the playful quality almost overshadowed by something sinister. She was young, probably not older than him, but the way her gaze danced in the light told him she'd experienced too much, too fast in her life.

She was absolutely, _breathtakingly_ gorgeous.

"How charming." She sang, "You've caught my interest. What do you want?"

"Care to dance?"

She listened to the tune the band was cranking out with a soft smile.

"American Tango, huh?" her eyes took on a faraway look, "It's been a while."

But she gracefully placed her gloved hand in his own nonetheless, smiling elegantly, and allowed him to guide her to the floor.

"Ever danced before?" she asked him, keeping her eyes locked on his as they began their dance, stepping back and forth, in time with the music.

"Never with someone as beautiful as you."

The dangerous smile was on her lips once again.

"You're cute. Cake-eater?"

"'Fraid not." he smirked. "Disappointed?"

She hummed in amusement.

"Where did you learn?"

"An old friend taught me." he spun her and she danced out, her hair and dress flying around before she came back into his arms, her back pressed against his chest, "And you?"

"My mother. Before she… passed." She replied, a wry smile on her face as she looked over her shoulder and caught his eyes. There was something a little disturbing in her expression.

"She taught you well." Lucas said, holding her sparkling baby blue gaze. The colour seemed to change from blue to gray and back each time the light reflected off her irises. "You're a lovely dancer."

She chuckled in amusement and allowed him to spin her out once again, and they met face to face, carrying on with their light two step. She watched him curiously, her head a little cocked to the side and unspoken words playing on her lips.

Lucas dipped her gently, pulling her up into another spin. She was an exquisite, eloquent dancer, the lines of her arms and legs elegant, lithe, and captivating. Better than any woman he had ever danced with before. All eyes were on her, the strange blonde woman with the cunning eyes and sharp smile. She came back to him, clasping her hand in his and smirking.

He knew he was guiding her in the steps of their tango. So why did it feel like she was leading _him_? It wasn't just her demanding countenance. It was the way she spoke. Authoritatively and almost masculine in a way. He couldn't help but feel like he had no control whatsoever.

"You're not from around here are you?" she drawled, honey dripping from her lips like sweet perfection.

He was mildly surprised, "I didn't think my accent was that thick."

"It's not. I just have a particular penchant for picking up accents." Her eyes glinted momentarily, "Where in the south?"

"Texas." He answered, though he hadn't been down there in almost a decade. He didn't even remember what his father's farm used to look like.

"Texas?" she said in faux shock, "You're quite a long ways from home."

"I suppose." He walked her backwards, and she gracefully followed his movements, her feet perfectly placed and not a step missed or off beat, "Are you from around here?"

"Native New Yorker." And then her smile grew, the curl of her lips almost cat-like. "But you already knew that, didn't you?"

Lucas almost faltered in the next step, but he quickly composed himself, "Why do you say that, ma'am?"

"Ma'am? I don't think I'm older than you, toots." She snorted, "Let's play a game, why don't we?"

And then the music dramatically increased its tempo, the volume of the horns intensifying and overpowering the other instruments. She walked him backwards, her eyes boring holes into his as she forced him to take wider and wider steps to accommodate the change in the pace of the dance.

"A girl sits at a bar, minding her own business, enjoying herself a nice whisky when a man comes up to her, asking for a dance." She spun around into his arms, the scent of jasmine assaulting his nose as her hand slid slowly up his chest and around the back of his neck. "What does she say?"

Lucas frowned, "She says yes."

"Of course she does!" she laughed gaily, her head knocked back and leg raised as he spun her. "He's a strapping young sheik. Very easy on the eyes and very charming."

He wrapped an arm around her waist, taking her around in a circle. Was she mocking him? He couldn't tell.

"So she dances with him. And it's very enjoyable. But… the man is careless. The man thinks that she can't see the knife in his pocket and that pistol in his jacket." His eyes shot to hers in alarm as he dipped her at the end of the dance. "The man… is an idiot."

Gone was the jovial smile on her lips. Gone was the mirth dancing in her eyes. It was instead replaced by a frigid, bitter smile. Like her sudden shift in demeanor, the music cut off and all patrons turned to the dancing pair with stolid expressions in their eyes. The party had died almost completely.

"Hate to be a wet blanket, babe, but this party's over." she said.

He slowly pulled her up, and she tilted her head, shrugging apologetically, though the razor-sharp glint in her eyes said anything but. She curled her hands around his tie and yanked him down so they were face to face. She leaned into him and brought her lips to his ear, her touch feather light.

"So, Hee Haw…" she whispered, lightly blowing air into his ear, "Let's have a little chat."

And then Lucas was thumped on the back of his head before he could react, and he slumped forward, passing out into her arms.

The last thing he saw was her insidious frosty gaze watching him acerbically.

~.~.~

When Lucas came to, he didn't have to try to move his arms to know that they were tied up. He was sitting in the plush chair of a swanky office. There was the constant sound of dripping on hardwood floor somewhere in the room, and he supposed it was a leaking pipe.

He lifted his head blearily, still a little dazed. The blonde woman stood in front of him, an arm folded across her abdomen as she languidly smoked a cigarette through her amber and ivory holder. Well behind her were two burly men flanking her on each side.

Her lips curved up into a kind smile, though her glacial eyes belied the benevolence of the gesture.

"You're finally awake." She crooked her finger at one of the men behind her, and he stepped forward with an ashtray. She set the holder in it and slapped her hands together, ridding them of any collected ash residue. "You were out for some time."

Lucas glared at her, "You planning to kill me?"

"How dull."

She sauntered over to him, stepping in between his legs and grasping the top of his hair with razor sharp claws, tilting his head backwards so she was staring him right in the face. She licked her lips slowly, her eyes looking a little demented.

"First, I'm going to find out what I need to from you." Her voice lowered, and she spoke slowly, _deliberately_. "Next, I'll carve you up into several tiny pieces, rip off your limbs one by one, shove hot pipes into your eyes and neck, and disembowel you. _Then_ , I'll kill you."

Her words were like liquid ice, seeping into his bloodstream and making his blood run cold. The gorgeous crystal blue eyes suddenly looked like those of a snake, shrewd and calculating and predatory. He couldn't look away.

"Here's how this is going to work." She sneered, letting go of his hair and stepping back. "I ask you the questions, and you cooperate."

His eyes narrowed in challenge. "And if I don't?"

"If you don't?" she idly picked her nails, her expression bored. "Carving starts early. Starting with that gorgeous face of yours. I don't think you need two eyes, do you?"

Lucas knew he had to be smart about this. She seemed like she was the kind to have a violent, sadistic temper. Better to play it safe and figure out a way to get out of this mess.

"So cowboy," she started, folding her arms across her chest, "Level with me. Who sent you here?"

"I don't know."

A brow rose treacherously, "You don't know?"

"I'm freelance. I don't ask questions. I just do the jobs."

"Interesting." She looked mildly impressed, "So someone else wants the entire Clutterbucket famiglia whacked."

He scowled at her, face revealing nothing.

"How did you come to know that I'm in the family?"

"My employer told me you were a high associate of Don Clutterbucket. All he said was you need to be bumped off." Lucas held her steady unblinking gaze, "I figured you were his mistress or something."

She laughed out loud, her eyes twinkling in mirth.

"High associate? Mistress?" she purred, trailing his jaw with a sharp nail before crooking it under and forcing his chin up. Her gaze turned acute and chilling. "I _am_ Don Clutterbucket. Or rather, Donna Clutterbucket."

Lucas' eyes widened in alarm, shock registering on his features before he could cover it up.

Since Lucas moved to New York and began his work, he'd heard stories about the Don. Word on the street was that his father had left him in his youth, and he had been orphaned by some mugger who took his mother from him. He lived as a street rat for years, running odd jobs and errands for other smaller families until he started his own family with some trusted friends and fellow orphans. The early Clutterbucket family carried out a few good hits and took a lot of territory, rising to prominence in bootlegging and running several underground casinos. Don Clutterbucket was considered a legend in these parts and someone one only spoke ill of in privacy. Known for his incredible intelligence, street smarts, violent, unforgiving nature, penchant for bloodshed, and cruelty, no one fucked with him. Everyone wanted him dead, but no one could never find him.

Or rather, _her_.

It was almost comically unbelievable. This pint sized, tiny woman who looked like she could be snapped in two with the right amount of force was the Don?

"You're Don Clutterbucket?"

"In the flesh. Formally known as Maya Penelope Hart." She grinned knowingly at his reaction to the revelation. "You had the right idea. But you made a mistake coming to my speakeasy and trying to attack me on _my_ turf. I'm afraid the last person who tried that shit didn't quite make it."

She stepped aside, and Lucas saw past her, into the doorway of a room her body had been blocking from his vision. He found the source of the dripping.

It was a man chained by both wrists to the ceiling. Or rather, a dead, bleeding man with eyes gouged out and abdomen carved open, intestines hanging loosely out of the hole. His legs were twisted and mangled like a gnarled tree.

"You know him?" she questioned, watching him astutely.

The man was someone he'd had a couple drinks with in the past. A braggart and an overzealous idiot who was too vocal about his successful jobs. He had been connected to several different families, playing them and stealing from them, and Lucas had warned him that if he wasn't careful, he would one day get whacked.

"No." Lucas lied, steadfastly returning her gaze.

She stared at him pensively for a moment, and then smiled, crooking her finger at the other man behind her. The guard stepped forward, handing her a bloodied knife. She held it loosely, pointing it at his neck with no expression on her face.

Lucas' jaw tightened and eyes narrowed. So this was the part where she tortured him? She could give it her best shot. He'd been tortured before. He could handle this.

"Usually, I like to get rid of people who try to kill me." She bent to his eye level, smirking coquettishly, "But I like your eyes. Determined. Fearless. _Untouchable_."

Lucas stared up at her placidly.

"How would you like to be my hired gun?" her grin spread, "Join our outfit. Become a man of honour."

She cut the ties keeping his wrists bound and flipped the knife over, holding the handle out to him with a patient raised brow. Lucas rubbed his wrists, staring at the knife. He knew she was offering him an ultimatum. A chance to survive. He'd never been one to be tied down for very long and didn't particularly want to join any families. It was the reason he'd spent countless years working as a freelance hitman.

But perhaps this could prove to be a good opportunity.

There was something about this woman, something intriguing that made him want to consider her family above all others. And what choice did he have? He knew if he refused, he'd be the next one in chains in that back room.

He raised his eyes up to meet her glittering ice blue gaze. They held a warning in them. She was giving him a chance, but clearly, the minute he fucked up in any way or betrayed her, she would kill him without a second thought.

"Well, cowboy?" she crooned, "What do you say?"

"The name," he grasped the handle and took the knife, holding her gaze, "is Lucas Friar."

She smirked.

"Welcome to the family, Lucas."


	4. Hart of Gold

**I think I'll do another raunchy fic after this one ;) They're fun to write!**

 **Enjoy! And thank you for the reviews! I really really appreciate them! :D  
**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own GMW.**

* * *

 **Title: Hart of Gold  
Pairings&Characters: Maya, implied Joshaya, implied Lucaya (if you squint)  
Genre: Romance, Hurt/Comfort, AU  
Rating: T for Testamonies  
Summary: Maya gets closure in a letter to Josh.  
**

 **Based off of Heart of Gold by Ashlyne Huff (a great ass song. You guys should check it out)**

 **This "version/personality" of Josh was inspired by quorra laraex's version of Josh in wmd, emu. I loved the way she wrote him and it felt surprisingly natural for him, so I'm borrowing that persona for the purpose of this vignette.  
**

* * *

 _Dear Joshua Gabriel Matthews,_

 _My boyfriend told me I needed actual closure and catharsis from our past clusterfuck of a failed attempt at a real relationship. And I told him this was the stupidest idea ever. But in the end, I caved. So here goes nothing:_

 _I promise I'm not trying to trash you or become an ex-zilla and bad mouth you for all the shit you put me through._

 _I just have some things I want to say to you._

 _Josh, I'll never forget the day you showed up at Topanga's and suddenly asked me out. Honestly, I can definitely say with all the crazy shit going on with my life, that had been one of the greatest days of my life._

 _For that, I thank you._

 _I'll never forget the way you looked past my crazy nerves on that first date (a_ _nd our second and third dates and fourth dates)_ _and ignored my idiotic stuttering and blushing and even overlooked me dropping soda on your crotch and then trying to clean it up with my hand._

 _I'll never forget our first kiss_ _in the park_ _as you walked me home on that gorgeous, perfect moonlit night._

 _I'll never forget how gradually, we weren't just dating and became something more. I called you my boyfriend and you called me your girlfriend and no one questioned it. We just were._

 _I'll never forget how you just filled my life with a happiness I thought I would never find with anyone else. The times we spent together were honestly some of the best I can ever recall._

 _I'll never forget our first serious fight after you accidentally kissed that girl at a graduation party._

 _I'll never forget the night we spent together after that fight curled up in your bed, breathing as one._

 _And I'll never forget how once you got to college, we slowly drifted apart._

 _I'll never forget how texting every second of every day, talking on the phone for hours, weekend visits and skyping every evening turned into answering texts after three hours and then never responding again, a phone call once a week, monthly visits, and skyping only right before breaks._

 _I'll never forget how I had to find out from your parents that you were seeing someone else._

 _I'll never forget how when I confronted you, you blew me off and threw me aside, like I was just a tissue that had run its course. How you told me I was too immature for you. How you tore down everything that made me who I am. How you gutted me and bled me out for the world to see._

 _I'll never forget how desperate I became to hold on to you and changed myself so that you could stay with me. Clung desperately to some pathetic false hope that if I made myself into your perfect girl, you'd stay with me. Changed everything I believed in and became weak willed just so that you could still look at me that way that you do that makes my heart jump and stomach feel butterflies._

 _I'll never forget how you strung me along for another year, making me think that you loved me and that you wanted to be with me, when all the while, you were keeping me on a leash, calling me over like a damn dog anytime you wanted to play._

 _I'll never forget how stupid I felt when I saw your texts to your girlfriend saying I was just this kid that was obsessed with you._

 _I'll never forget how you just ignored me after that, pretending I didn't exist and coldly asked me to delete your number._

 _I'll never forget the way I lost my smile, my vivacity, my ferocity._

 _I'll never forget the way I spent days, weeks, months believing I would never be good enough for anyone._ Could _never be good enough for anyone if I was myself._

 _You know, looking back, I was blind as a bat and stubborn as a mule. I was warned not to fall for your charms. I was warned that things wouldn't last because you would never be serious about a girl who idolized and obsessed over you. I was warned that the relationship would never work. I was warned that I would become your chew toy and would get tossed in the trash as soon as you were bored. I should have opened my eyes. I mean, I was a high school scrub, and you were in college. There was no way that shit would have ever worked out._

 _Either way, I almost lost myself in our relationship._

 _Surprisingly, the last person I ever thought could stop me from losing myself helped me. He took me out of the city with him, away from all the bad memories and soiled spots. He helped me realize my worth again. He helped me find my spunk and my voice. He showed me that there_ was _someone out there who loved the real me. Someone who loved every part of me: physical, emotional, mental, imperfections, flaws, and all._

 _But most importantly: He helped me realize you're everything I can live my life without._

 _And for that, I will always love him._

 _Anyway, you might be wondering what the point of this letter is._

 _Well here's the truth:_

 _You lost something great when you dumped me._

 _Do what you like with whoever you want, but trust me. Eventually? You're going to realize that you want it back._

 _That you want my kisses._

 _That you want my attention._

 _That you want my heart._

 _That you want my love._

 _That you want_ me.

 _But whenever that time comes, you'll always be too late._

 _I'm never going to be yours again._

 _And trust me._

 _You're going to miss this Hart of Gold._

 _Sincerely,_

 _Maya Penelope Hart_


	5. Boredom I

**I wrote this in class, half asleep, bored, with inappropriate music blasting in my ears. What is my life...  
**

 **Warning: If you don't know some of the stuff, don't look them up (and even if you do decide to, nsfw, so do it in privacy)**

 **Enjoy! And thank you for the reviews! I really really appreciate them! :D  
**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own GMW.**

* * *

 **Title: Boredom I  
Pairings&Characters: Maya, Lucas  
Genre: Friendship, Humor, AU  
Rating: High T for Talking Like Pervs  
Summary: Lucas and Maya pass notes in class.  
**

 **The characters are roughly freshman in high school.**

 **Bold is Lucas.** _Italicized is Maya._

* * *

 _hey_

...

...

...

 _hey_

...

...

...

 _helloooooooooo_

...

...

...

 _hey ranger rick_

...

...

...

 _answer me_

...

...

...

 _answer the note or i won't stop bugging you_

 ** _What do you want?_**

 _stop staring at the back of my head_

 **I'm not**

 _yes you are. i can feel it_

 **Well you keep flipping your hair and covering my desk so yeah, I'm glaring at you**

 _calm down huckleberry it's not that big a deal_

 **Why are you passing notes in class? We're going to get in trouble**

 _old chester doesn't even notice this shit. he's blind as a bat_

 **He's also a very good teacher who deserves our respect. Stop passing notes**

 _kinda hypocritical there, moral compass. you just passed one to me_

 **To tell you to stop passing it!  
**

 _why don't you stop then_

...

...

...

 _i was just kidding_

 **Why are you starting another one? Stop passing notes!**

 _but i'm sooooo bored_

 **Here's a thought. Pay attention to the lecture and it might not be so boring**

 _are you for real right now? are you actually defending this lecture?_

 **It's actually fascinating stuff!**

 _oh, yeah? what are we learning?_

 **…...speciation**

 _yeah because that is sooooo fun_

 **urgh… it really is boring**

 _atta boy I knew you'd see things my way huckleberry!_

 **Maya, I still want to pay attention in class. As should you. So stop passing notes**

 _alright dad_

 **Dad?**

 _you're acting like a responsible parent instead of an irresponsible teen_

 **Whatever shortstack. You'll be wishing you paid attention when you fail the test**

 _but you won't let me fail a test. you're going to help me study, as you always do_

 **urgh…I know… why do I always help you**

 _because you're a sucker_

...

...

...

 _c'mon sundance. live a little_

 **Stop starting new notes!**

 _stop not responding after i give you the note_

 **What do you want maya**

 _i already told you. i'm bored_

 **And I gave you a sol'n**

 _save it cowboy. even riley isn't paying attention_

 **Yea she is. She's staring at the board**

 _guess again huckleberry. she's sleeping with her eyes open_

 **…am I the only one who ever takes notes in this class?**

 _pretty much but it's okay cuz we put them to good use_

 **I really am a sucker… :(**

 _don't feel bad. we need suckers in life to make the world go round_

 **…was that supposed to be an attempt at making me feel better?**

 _did it work?_

 **Strangely, yeah**

 _you're welcome ranger rick :D_

 **How long has Billy been in the bathroom anyway? I need to go but there's only one pass.**

 _he clearly is abusing the bathroom pass  
_

 **Dammit! Not again. That's it. I'm spreading a rumor that he has the runs!**

 _woooow..._

 **oh, there he is.**

 _make sure to wash yer hands like yer mama taught ya  
_

 **Shut up Maya.**

...

...

...

 _hey_

...

...

...

 _hey_

 **Maya stop**

 _if you just chat with me all this will stop_

...

...

...

 _give me an H_

...

...

...

 _give me a U_

...

...

...

 _give me a C_

...

...

...

 _give me a K_

 **I'M NEVER SITTING BEHIND YOU AGAIN**

 _c'mon, chat with me  
_

 **What do you want?!  
**

 _let's play a game_

 **Why**

 _because it'll make this snoozefest of a class go by faster_

 **Not interested. Play with Zay**

 _no way_

 **Why not?**

 _because he'll tell the others_

 **If it's something that bad that you don't want the others to know, then I want no part in it.**

 _c'mon. it's not terrible_

 **No.**

 _play with me_

 **No.**

 _please?_

 **No.**

 _i'll stop calling you two nicknames for a whole week_

 **Four**

 _three_

 **…which three? Do I get to pick**

 _you do_

 **Fine.**

 _spit shake? no take backs?_

 **Yeah. The whole shebang.**

 _ha! once a sucker, always a sucker_

 **Why do I feel like I just got played.**

 _because you did. i said A whole week. i didn't say which whole week._

 **…walked right into that one…**

 _you sure did, heehaw_

 **So. What's the game?**

 _it's called 'what's their favourite position!'_

 **What?**

 _and by position i mean sex position ofc  
_

 **That's inappropriate maya. None of us are even old enough yet to be considering that**

 _chill moral compass. it's just a fun little thing to pass the time_

 **Doesn't sound fun to me. it sounds vulgar**

 _it is vulgar. but it's also hella fun_

 **You have a pretty twisted idea of what is considered fun**

 _no srsly. all we're doing is guessing what everybody's favourite position will be in the future._

 **No srsly. Maya that's actually pretty deplorable. I don't want any part in it**

 _you spit shook._

 **On a piece of paper in a passed note. I don't care. I'm not playing this game**

 _fine you leave me no choice…_

 **…what?**

 _i guess i'll just have to tell mr matthews about the time you tried to sneak in my window_  
 _to scare me and walked in on me changing. i'm sure he'll have a field day with that one_

 **…...so how do you play this game?**

 _i knew you'd see things my way huckleberry_

 **You just wait until I have dirt on you, maya. Things will be very different then**

 _anywayz, all you have to do is predict which sex position will be their favourite. pick someone. any friend counts._

 **This sounds so unbelievably dirty…**

 _just pick someone! we don't have all class period_

 **Fine. Zay.**

 _cool. so zay seems like he'd be the really laid back, lazy lover. definitely cowgirl_

 **I feel nauseous.**

 _c'mon. agree or disagree._

 **He is lazy, but Zay's got a thing for asses. Probably because he doesn't have one. He'd definitely be into reverse cowgirl**

 _ooooh! wait i can totally see that. lazy and can stare at an ass the whole time! nice one_

 **I try.**

 _okay. farkle._

 **Ummm I feel like he'd be big on oral.**

 _hahaha why?_

 **Well… he is big on precision and understanding things right down to the smallest atom**

 _oh yeah. he'd definitely be one of those guys who is super diligent in eating someone out_

 **Maya, I'm really uncomfortable.**

 _getting a hard on from all this talk?_

 **NO.**

 _you sure, bucky mcboing boing?_

 **Talking about our friends like this is making me uncomfortable.**

 _oh grow a pair. it's just harmless fun_

 **Fine then. Your turn. Josh.**

 _not cool you ass_

 **You said any friend counts.**

 _i meant friends in our class_

 **Should have known you'd chicken out if it got uncomfortable for you**

 _just pick someone in our class_

 **Okay. Missy**

 _wow bitch extraordinaire, huh?_

 **She's not that bad once you get used to her**

 _have you gotten used to the blunt bitch?_

 **…when she's around Billy she's not that bad**

 _whatever huckleberry_

 **Well?**

 _she's got a pole shoved so far up her ass, i say she'd probably like anal quite a bit_

 **While I do agree, that's not accounting for when she's with Billy. She's actually really sweet with him**

 _and?_

 **So I'd say more of a sleeper hold/spoon type of thing. Heads up, Chester's walking behind the class  
**

...

...

...

 _compromise? doggie style?_

 **I think that works.**

 _alright. you're getting the hang of this game._

 **What about Billy?**

 _face sitter_

 **face sitter for sure**

...

...

...

 **You can't be laughing that loudly, or we'll get caught! We got lucky**

 _it was funny!  
_

 **I mean, that was funny, but you need to stay chill**

 _ok. how about riley?_

 **We shouldn't use her. She's way too innocent**

 _even the most innocent of cocoons will one day hatch into full-fledged, mature butterflies_

 **...no thanks. That's like perverting a baby. Pass.**

 _yeah, you're right. that's just wrong._

 **Does she even know about the birds and the bees yet?**

 _ummm mr matthews kept excusing her out of sex ed back in middle school_

 **So what is he going to do when we get to reproduction?**

 _i dunno… but i'm looking forward to watching him scramble to keep her naivety alive_

 **You're kind of diabolical, Maya…**

 _i take that as a compliment_

 **Of course you do…**

...

...

...

 _what did zay just ask you?_

 **Wanted to borrow a pencil.**

 _why?_

 **He's trying to carve his initials into his desk.**

 _that's the noise i've been hearing all of class?!_

 **Unfortunately.**

 _why did you give him the pencil  
_

 **...i wasn't thinking**

 _story of your life, huh?_

 **Ouch... that's a little harsh, don't you think**

 _it's true tho  
_

 **kay. This conversation is over. bye  
**

 _alright i'm sorry! i didn't mean it  
_

 **yes you did**

 _no srsly. i'm sorry okay? don't leave_

 **Fine.**

 _let's just continue the game!  
_

 **Okay.**

 _what about smackle_

 **Quickness, efficiency, traditional, highest rate of success.**

 _missionary, no doubt_

 **Agreed 100%**

...

...

...

 **I think Chester is suspicious of us. He keeps looking this way**

 _well we did start laughing out loud at some point  
_

 **You mean you started laughing out loud**

 _semantics, baby. semantics_

 **You know, sometimes you're a real pain Maya.**

 _and that's why we're such good friends ;D_

 **I can't even deny that. it's so true.**

 _so what would mine be_

 **What?**

 _my favourite position? what do you think mine would be?_

 **Lap dance.**

 _ooooh intense. why?_

 **Because you're rowdy. You want the most control, but not all of the work. But  
you're also the type of person who gets attached. So the intimacy factor plays a part too.**

 _hmm… not bad._

 **Plus, there's your whole save a horse, ride a cowboy obsession  
**

 _i don't have an obsession!  
_

 **Yeah, you kind of do... you'd really like to ride a cowboy in the future, huh?  
**

 _NO._

 **I'm a "cowboy" ;P  
**

 _STOP.  
_

 **Aww don't be mad. I'm jk  
**

 _i think i just threw up in my mouth a little..._

 **What would be my fave?**

 _lap dance_

 **Why do you say that?**

 _multitasking. you don't_ _have to do most of the work. And you're a sap.  
intimacy __is probably going to be your thing too  
_

 **...Sounds about right...**

 _same position, huh…_

 **Interesting...**

...

...

...

 _i think chester might be onto us_

 **It's because you're too loud!  
**

 _quick, give it to farkle_

 **What? He had nothing to do with this**

 _do you really want to get in trouble_

 **Don't pin the blame on innocent people**

 _whatever moral compass. if you don't give it to him, I will_

 **Maya, don't  
**

 _shit! chester saw us!_

 **Well don't pass it back!**

 _you don't pass it back!_

 **I don't want it!**

 _neither do i!_

...

...

...

 **Good job. Now we have detention. And he's going to read our note. We're so screwed**

 _nothing new for me. i have detention everyday, huckleberry._

 **That's the last time I'll pass notes with you in class.**

 _yeah, yeah_

 **I'm serious!**

 _at least we're not the only ones who have to go. riley billy and zay have it too  
_

 **I'm still never passing notes with you again.**

 _whatever. you know... im curious_

 **About what?**

 _how do you know about all these sex positions, anyway? been watching a lot of stuff, ranger rick?_

 **Oh look, the bell's ringing. Bye.**


	6. Here We Go Again

**More Lucaya fun!  
**

 **Enjoy! And thank you for the reviews! As always, I appreciate them so so so much! You guys are the greatest. Seriously. :D  
**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own GMW.**

* * *

 **Title: Here We Go Again  
Pairings&Characters: ****Auggie, Riley,** **Lucaya  
Genre: Romance, Angst, Humor, AU  
Rating: T for ...truce?  
Summary: Auggie watches Lucas and Maya argue.  
**

 **Inspired by Shadow G. Thank you sweet pea for being so confused all the time!**

* * *

 _"That's not what I said, Maya!"_

 _"That's clearly what you implied!"_

It was happening again.

Maya and Lucas were, yet again, in _another_ heated argument. This was the second one that night alone, not even counting the ones from earlier that week.

"Umm… Riley?"

"Leave it alone, Auggie…" she said boredly, never taking her eyes off of her novel, "It'll fix itself."

"But… they're getting worse…"

Auggie sat at the coffee table, eyes darting back and forth in worry between the arguing teens. This one seemed to be worse than any of the others he'd seen. They were standing in the middle of the living room, shouting in each other's face and waving their hands emphatically to get their point across. Both of them were clearly pissed off for one reason or another and clearly neither was willing to back down.

Since his mom and dad had gone on a cruise for the week, they'd left Riley and Maya in charge of watching over Auggie while they were gone. Lucas had been stopping by that whole week to work on a research project with Maya, and from the start of the week they'd been bickering about every little thing. But at least those had quickly quelled almost as soon as they had started, and life had gone on. Even after their first little fight that evening, they'd quieted down and had been working diligently for a while.

Things had gone swimmingly for a pretty long period of time. Riley had been reading, Lucas and Maya had been quietly discussing the logistics of their powerpoint, and Auggie had been working on his fraction multiplication worksheet on the coffee table. He wasn't quite sure how it had even started, but one second, they had been taking notes down for their research, and then the next, they were arguing. It had quickly escalated to a full-blown fight and before he knew it, they were hurtling insults at one another, proverbial steam coming out of their ears.

 _"I mean it, Huckleberry! You better shut the hell up!"_

 _"Why? Because I'm_ right _? You are unbelievable!"_

Auggie had tried to listen in on some of the argument, and had deduced that it sounded like they were arguing about the project or at least something school related. But something about Lucas' irked expression and the way Maya's eyes glinted with jealousy told him that probably wasn't the case at all. It seemed like some deep rooted irritation stemming from a long-lasting and unresolved dilemma.

He vaguely wondered if something had happened to them at school that week for them to be at each other's throats like that.

The thing that confused him the most was how Riley could just remain leisurely reclining on the couch—completely unfazed and patiently reading her library book—when her friends' voices were echoing around the room and reverberating off the walls. He was sure Ava could hear the argument too, and she lived all the way down the hall!

"Doesn't it usually die down by now?" he asked, glancing at his sister.

"It will, Auggie." She licked the tip of her finger and nonchalantly turned to the next page of her novel, "Give it time."

He turned back and watched them. Maya was jabbing Lucas in the chest, each word punctuated by the motion. Lucas' fists were tightly clenched, and he looked like he was five seconds from blowing up for real.

 _"What is your problem?! If you would let go of your stupid pride and listen to me for once, we wouldn't be having this issue in the first place!"_

 _"You think I give a shit what you have to say?!"_

 _"Oh, I get it. But if it was Josh you'd have no problem kissing his ass–"_

 ** _SLAP!_**

Auggie's eyes went wide, and he gaped in shock that Maya's hand had flown up and smacked Lucas right across the face, the force snapping his head to the side. The argument died immediately and a daunting silence suddenly claimed the room. Auggie was horrified. He frantically turned to Riley who had shut her book and was idly watching them, head resting on her fist. None of their fights had ever ended that way before.

Lucas was stunned into silence, mouth slightly ajar as an angry red mark formed on his cheek. Maya glared up at him, face flushed in anger and her eyes glistening in fury.

 _"Fuck you, Lucas…"_

She spun on her heel and stormed into the hallway towards Riley's room, muttering expletives under her breath.

A foreboding chill filled the air as Lucas stood in his same position, not a sound coming from him whatsoever as his hands slowly curled into tremoring fists.

And then Lucas' jaw clenched dangerously, and he looked _beyond pissed_.

Auggie gasped as Lucas stalked to the hallway, terrified of the cold, hard rage burning in the sea foam eyes.

Auggie was worried. Were they about to get into a violent altercation? Because he'd heard rumors (from eavesdropping on some of Maya and Riley's past conversations) about Lucas' less than stellar past, and Auggie knew that Maya had a hot temper and would try to beat up people when she was pissed off. Why wasn't Riley doing anything to stop this? He'd never seen Lucas look so threatening in his entire life. It scared him, especially when he heard Maya's sudden startled yelp.

He couldn't help but conjure an image of Maya with a bloody nose and hopped up off of the floor, heading to the hallway and deciding he'd try to fight Lucas if he had to even if he got shoved into the ground and sat on because nobody messed with his pseudo sister and, and—

And Auggie froze at the entrance of the hallway, gawking at the sight before him.

Lucas hadn't punched Maya in the face at all.

No.

Lucas had Maya shoved up against the wall, one hand tangled in her hair and the other wrapped around her waist, holding her flush against him.

And he was _kissing_ her. It was slow and steamy and intense and the kind of kiss he'd always seen his father give his mother right before Riley took him out for ice cream.

And Maya? Fierce, No-nonsense Maya? Maya who didn't take crap from anyone and would kick someone's butt in a heartbeat if they pissed her off Maya?

She whimpered. _Whimpered_.

Auggie knew he'd never heard any sound like that ever before come out of her mouth. And he couldn't help but stare in shock when her hands slid up slowly and cupped Lucas' jaw and she rose up on her tip toes, leaning into him.

And then Riley tugged him away from the hallway entrance and away from the bewildering scene.

"C'mon Auggie. Let's go out for some ice cream."

He could only nod, stupefied.

What the heck had just happened? Hadn't they been fighting? Why wasn't Riley confused by the sudden change in behaviour?

 _Teenagers_.

He would never understand them…


	7. My Hart

**I've been sitting on this bus back home for the past 3 hours, and I literally can't take it anymore. I don't have my laptop but I went through such strong Lucaya withdrawal that I wrote this on a phone in like 10 minutes. If it stinks or has a lot of issues, I'm sorry!**

 **And also sorry I haven't had a chance yet to respond to reviews! I don't have my laptop with me but I'll get on that as soon as I return home. Just to answer some questions I did see, in the last one shot Lucas and Maya are probably together? I hadn't actually decided so it's your call. Riley is blasé about it all because she's so used to seeing** **them argue and then make up in crazy ways I guess?**

 **Enjoy! I really appreciate all the feedback and the love! It means so much to me! And you guys are so encouraging and so unbelievably sweet! :D  
**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own GMW.**

* * *

 **Title: My Hart  
Pairings&Characters: Lucas, Maya, Lucaya  
** **Genre: Romance, WAFF/Angst (Wangst? lol sounds dirty), Hurt/Comfort, AU  
Rating: K+ for Kaleidoscopes  
Summary: Because she's your Hart.**

 **Being stuck in traffic, trying not to dream of Lucaya produced this. Trying my hand at 2nd person.  
**

 **UPDATE 06.01.2015: Officially revised!**

* * *

You watch her.

The blonde angel with a devilish smirk on her red lips.

She's gorgeous. She's breathtaking and beautiful, and there's nothing you can do but gape at her in shock. Your pulse races immeasurably and the only thing you can do is watch her with wide eyes. Watch the way she saunters down the aisle, bright and shining and demanding the attention of every person in the room.

Riley stands a little ways in front of you, watching her best friend with red rimmed eyes and disjointed sniffles. Farkle is beside you, grinning from ear to ear, a congratulatory smile on his face. Cory walks her down, eyes brimming with tears and blubbering displeased words about giving his daughter away to a hooligan.

He takes off her veil to a dazzling crystal blue eyed gaze, and you know you've fallen in love with her all over again. Just like that one sticky summer evening in Texas when you walked barefoot and caked in mud along the corn fields, laughing and holding hands without a care in the world.

Her eyes drift to yours, and you see a whirlwind of emotions overtake her face. You see warmth and affection. Regret. Guilt. Sadness. _Longing._ You can see the kaleidoscope of your relationship flash through her eyes.

You see her red cheeks and pink, swollen lips when you finally built up the nerve and kissed her that summer you took her to Texas.

You see the droopy, content smile on her face after you both gave in and spent a night together, the stars (and quite possibly anyone who had walked by your car), the only witness to your love.

You see the growing exasperation and the fights and the fear of losing each other taking over what made your relationship work so well.

You see the pain in her expression when she told you she wanted to call it quits and you agreed without hesitation.

You see your cowardice and your terrible lonely nights.

You see the nights you spent drowning your sorrows in alcohol. The nights you spent angry at her for running away and at yourself for giving up. The nights you spent dialing her number and never hitting the call button.

You see how you gradually become friends again, sharing each other's lives once more as you used to.

You see the bright smile on her face when she tells you she reunited with _him_.

You see her come to life as she talks about their relationship, as she asks you for advice.

You see the hesitation in her expression, the uncertainty when she moves in with him. The reluctance when he tells her he loves her.

You see her unease when she tells you she's engaged.

You see the hope in her eyes when she asks you to give her a reason—any reason at all—to say no. Any reason to reject the proposal. Any reason she should end things.

You see your jealousy and stupid misguided and misdirected irritation.

You see the slightly crestfallen but resigned look when you tell her you're happy for her. When you let her go.

Then you blink and the moment is gone, and she's gazing at him with adoration and climbing the steps of the alter. And suddenly it's become all too real. Suddenly, you know you're about to lose her for good. And you panic.

Because she's your Hart. And you can't lose her to another. She's the one who knows you best, even more than you know yourself. She's the only one who can help you find yourself when you're lost. The only one who can read you like a book. The only one who you have ever truly loved. The only one you could ever envision spending every day with for the rest of your life.

And you know if you leave this be, you'll spend the rest of your life dreaming about the one that got away. You'll spend every single day for the rest of your _miserable_ life living with the regret and heartache that you lost the love of your life to someone else because you were too stupid to go after her like you should have. Because you were too stupid to recognize how much she completes you. How much you _need_ her.

You don't pay attention to anything the priest says. You don't pay attention to the introduction of his speech or the poetic language of the marriage ceremony. The only thing you hear is "speak now or forever hold your peace."

And you know what you have to do.

So you stand up.

You ignore the curious glances.

You ignore the shocked stares.

You ignore the warning glares.

You ignore the confused gawking.

All you focus on is the unmistakable glimmer of hope hidden deep in the stormy blue eyes as she turns to look at you.

And you say:

"I object."


	8. Accidents?

**Guys... Lucaya is really messing me up! All of my other OTPs are sharing kisses or hugging or at least holding hands but there's NOTHING for Lucaya atm. And it's _killing_ me.  
**

 **Written because I'm still in Lucaya withdrawal. And because I don't want to study for my exam on Thursday.**

 **As requested, I'll write a one-shot from Zay's POV after this :)**

 **Enjoy! Awww thank you so much for the reviews! I love reading the reactions to the stories! :D  
**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own GMW.**

* * *

 **Title: Accidents?  
Pairings&Characters: Lucaya, Lucas, Maya, Riley, Zay, Farkle, Smackle, etc  
** **Genre: Romance, Humor(?), Fluff, AU  
Rating: K+ for Kissy Tymez  
Summary: It took nine accidental kisses and one intentional one before they finally got together.  
**

 **Warning: Farfetched? Unrealistic? Whatever... :) I just wanted to write something fast and shitty dammit...  
**

 **Lol this was only supposed to be 1000 words and then I got _hella_ carried away... ****Tried to write "cute", happy fluff type stuff. I'm honestly terrible at it. Give me raunch or give me angst. I can write it. Fluff and WAFF? Bite me in the ass.**

* * *

 **One**

After almost an entire semester working on their class play, developing a storyline and choosing the cast and rehearsing night after night after night after damn night, parent's night _finally_ arrived. And along with it, the presentation of the play.

Surprisingly, Maya had gotten cast as the lead alongside Lucas. They were doing a modern day version of Cinderella and despite her fervent requests to not cast her just because she apparently looked like Disney Cinderella or because she was poor as hell or because she was the most realistic, jaded, modern day Cinderella they could ever cast, she was still voted in.

She'd had to spend countless hours with Ranger Rick memorizing lines, working on delivery, perfecting how they played off of each other. At least their drama teacher had been nice enough to adapt the script to her leads, changing things so it could better fit the chemistry between her prince Charming and Cinderella (to which Maya denied. She did not have _chemistry_ with Bucky McBoing Boing). But even though their version of Ella was fiercely independent and more interested in her own success than meeting any guy, they still kept the basics of the fairy tale.

And that meant she had to kiss him.

Or rather, he had to kiss her.

Thankfully, their teacher had picked up on Maya's discomfort and that scene was only rehearsed once. She even showed Lucas a way to angle Maya backwards and lean down close to her face so it looked like a kiss, but wasn't actually one. And so they'd done that once and dropped it.

So on the night of the play, Maya wasn't particularly nervous. It was a fake stage kiss and they'd get the stupid thing out of the way and move on with their lives.

Everything went swimmingly. The play ran without any mishaps for the most part. The only memorable issue was when Riley's costume got caught in the back of her pantyhose, and she walked around the stage for a whole scene with her dress curled up and her adorable sheep panties on display through her transparent stockings. When she was finally informed why the audience had basically been laughing the entire scene, she refused to step out on stage any longer and remained backstage.

"You excited Maya?"

"For what?" Maya responded as she slipped on her final costume for the last chunk of scenes.

"For the kiss with Lucas." Riley said in a _duh_ tone of voice, popping some raisins in her mouth.

Maya frowned, "No. And it's not a real kiss, Riley."

Riley said nothing.

That ended the conversation, and Maya walked out to continue with her role. The play went on without any problems.

At least... until that blasted end kiss scene.

The stage direction called for him to dip her and then kiss her (it was supposed to create the illusion of being in the bustling streets of New York and not having a care in the world). Lucas dipped her like he was supposed to after regaling her with saccharine words of love that made Maya want to vomit on his shoes. And she gushed like she was supposed to though she wanted to rip her tongue out of her mouth. And he leaned down to kiss the corner of her mouth like he was supposed to.

But this was where it got interesting.

For some strange reason (and Maya would forever suspect Riley to be the cause), one of the set pieces, a thinner gray painted building type set thing—that she knew she didn't paint herself because it looked like a second grader did that work—fell over, almost directly next to them. Not close enough to be a danger, but definitely close enough to startle.

So when Lucas heard the noise, his eyes moved away from her face in alarm, and he missed his intended target.

And caught her actual lips.

They both stiffened and froze, momentarily caught off guard, but thankfully, the tech crew had begun to close the curtains, and Lucas snapped out of it. They pulled away and the play ended properly, with the typical clapping and handed roses. Lucas didn't bring up their little kiss, so Maya ignored it as well, deciding it didn't mean anything in the long run, so there was no reason to dwell.

Once the play was done and over with, they were dismissed to return their costumes backstage and head out to their parents to show them through all their classes and what they'd done and learned that year.

"Riley, did you have something to do with the set tipping over at the end? You were the only one backstage." Maya asked suspiciously.

"I don't know what you're talking about." She responded, almost _too_ innocently.

Maya narrowed her eyes, but pulled the costume over her head and searched for her clothes. The accidental kiss didn't matter anyway. It would never happen again.

 **Two**

Mr. Matthews was not only their beloved and totally awesome eighth grade teacher, but he was a great mentor and father figure to them all in some ways. Plus, his lectures were always fun, and he taught them valuable life lessons that they knew they would always remember in their future years. It wasn't very often that a student got a teacher who exercised care in the wellbeing of the students themselves and wasn't just out to get paid for a terrible job. He loved what he did, and it clearly showed in the way his students retained what he taught and utilized his advice in everything they did.

So it was no surprise when the entire class was on board for throwing him a surprise party on the last day of school. They wanted him to come in to a decorated classroom and cheerful students and cake. So in order to make sure his party was all set for the next day, his eighth grade class divided themselves into small groups to make sure this went perfectly. Some were assigned on cake and snacks and punch duty. Others had party goods and utensils and cups and stuff. A few students were on gift duty to take the ten dollars they had all donated and buy something nice.

Maya's group had been assigned to decorate the room with all the streamers and the little hanging squiggly things that bounced back when they were tugged and stuff. That part was the trickiest to handle since it required sneaking into the school late at night and not getting caught by any police officers that could be doing night patrole. So for that group, since she was the most nonchalant about the whole breaking and entering thing, she was granted leadership and allowed to pick whoever she wanted to join her crew.

So she chose Lucas, who was the strongest and could probably carry people on his shoulders for things higher up and pull them through windows. She chose Yogi because he could fit in small spaces which could come in handy if they needed to create a diversion away from the room through the vents. And she chose Missy (urgh) because she was the most fashionable of them all and probably had keen decorating sensibilities since her mother was always hosting these little get-togethers and throwing parties.

They'd met late at night after sneaking out and met at the side of the building near the teacher's lounge where Maya knew the window remained open at night to air out the smell of aged food that seemed to linger.

Getting in wasn't a problem at all. She'd cranked open the window. Lucas had helped them all in and then they'd all contributed to get him up as well. Yogi had gone in the vents to distract the cop away from their direction and then they'd all gone to Mr. Matthews' classroom.

While Missy and Maya had put up décor in the room, Lucas had held the flashlights up so they could see what they were doing. Yogi had joined them shortly after, telling them they had only a few more minutes then they needed to leave.

"This should be the last of it." Maya called down quietly, attaching a star to the light fixture. "Help me down, Huckleberry."

"Alright."

He set down the flashlight on the desk, temporarily illuminating only the lower half of the room. After grappling a little bit in the air, she finally found his shoulders. Lucas reached up and found her waist, holding her steady as she stooped to get off the desk.

And this was where things got a little messed up.

She wasn't sure exactly how it happened, but she kind of jumped down before he was ready, and he wasn't holding tightly enough so he stumbled backwards and pulled her with him and the next thing she knew, her face ended up mashed against his. She knew they had knocked mouths, and she was sure she'd probably chipped a tooth because her upper lip was really stinging.

"Shoot, I'm sorry, Maya." He said, setting her down, "You okay?"

She licked her lips carefully, and definitely knew she was tasting blood.

"I'm fine. Let's just get out of here."

 _Technically,_ she knew they had just kissed each other, even if it was kind of brutal, but he seemed to be ignoring what had just happened almost completely, so she would too.

Besides. It had just been a weird coincidence, and it wasn't like it meant anything.

 **Three**

Courtesy of Shawn Hunter, who was photographing an entire wedding week, the Matthews and friends were all invited to stay a part of their summer vacation at an amazing beach house on the coast. Shawn was given free rent in one of the large beach bungalows and allowed to invite whoever he wanted for the duration of his stay. It was the beach getaway many of them desperately wanted and needed. Especially since the friends were all trying to find as much time to spend with each other before the inevitable high school drift apart when they would join clubs and befriend people who were more similar to them.

Nevertheless, the beach had been the very best vacation destination to embark on in Maya's opinion.

The group was spending this particular afternoon playing (or at least trying to play) beach volleyball. By some stroke of stupid, Maya ended up in the front part of their makeshift court… as a _striker_. It was utterly ridiculous because she was only about five feet tall and didn't even come up to half the net. Hell, her head could barely skim the bottom of it even.

(Though she definitely suspected it was for everyone else's amusement because she looked funny trying to jump for the ball and barely reaching over the net. The jerks.)

So Lucas got this crazy idea to lift her up every time the ball was about to be rallied over the net by the opposing team. It was a funny and possibly smart plan, but it barely worked and eventually, Lucas got tired of having to lift her up multiple times and just set her on his shoulders. She'd protested being treated like some little doll at first, but after being able to block pretty much every ball, she definitely and quickly got on board.

Before long, other people started complaining that it wasn't fair that they had one member-thing that was much taller than anyone else. And so that lead to a game of "Chicken" Volleyball which was a lot harder and less coordinated and difficult to control. But things went well for a while...

Until they didn't…

"Riley!" Ava shouted from on her shoulders, "Veer left!"

"Whaa?"

"Veer left! The ball is coming on the left!"

And Riley changed course to catch the ball, but she unfortunately lost her footing. The two careened sideways and ran right into Zay and Smackle who lost their balance trying to stop the girls' momentum and unfortunately toppled and ran into Lucas and Maya. Maya flailed about, and they all tumbled into a comical pile of tangled limbs and awkward butt-in-face landings.

When Maya opened her eyes with a groan, Ava was basically collapsed on her head, and Maya's face was connected to Lucas'.

Or rather, her _lips_ were.

It was more like she was "eating" his nose and upper lip and she was absolutely positive she chipped her tooth yet again. He blinked up at her with bewildered green eyes for a few seconds, his tanned face slightly red, though she didn't know if it was because he was a little sunburned or embarrassed by the turn of events.

In any case, she tugged on Ava to get off and climbed off of Lucas, spitting out a mouthful of disgusting sand that had gotten in her mouth. Lucas did the same, wiping his mouth with a look vaguely resembling disgust.

"Umm, Maya…?"

"It never happened."

He nodded in agreement, and they helped their friends get up off of the ground.

That killed the game almost immediately, but by that time, they were hungry anyway and followed the rest of the group back up to the beach house.

Maya continued to vehemently deny it ever happened, even when Farkle and Billy swore they saw them kiss and the adults kept giving them annoying, knowing looks.

 **Four**

Maya knew freshman orientation day was going to be a crazy ordeal, and it did not disappoint. There were teens and bodies everywhere and just walking around took effort because of all the people just standing around and talking, waiting for the little introduction to high school from the principal. Maya had a physical earlier that morning, so she hadn't been able to ride to school with Riley, and even though she continued to text her, Riley was nowhere to be found. Riley had ultimately texted her and told her to find Lucas because she was near him.

And it definitely didn't help that Maya couldn't see over a lot of the heads because of the stupid tall people in the area. It was really bugging her now. Her height in middle school wasn't that huge a deal because most everyone had still been in puberty, but people were hitting their growth spurts now and that was a problem.

But she did happen to overhear a group of girls giggling about some super attractive cutie with green eyes, and Maya rolled her eyes. She followed their gazes and sure enough, found Lucas talking with Billy and two other guys who looked like the stereotypical jock-looking types.

She hadn't seen him since early in the summer, since he and Zay had spent the latter half back in Texas, and she was a little shocked to see how different he looked. Well, not necessarily _different_. Just kind of older or more mature or more grown up or something like that. He was starting to look like one of those stereotypical hottie cowboys with the sexy bodies that she'd read about in some of her mom's trashy novels.

(Not that she'd ever tell him that though. Or anyone for that matter).

"Huckleberry. You seen Riley anywhere around here?" She literally had to tilt her head up to meet his gaze now. And she was even wearing heels.

"She was just looking for you, Shortstack." He said, a genuine smile on his face, as if he was pleased to see her. "She couldn't find you."

"I couldn't find her either."

He made some stupid crack about her needing to hold someone's hand or she'd get lost and probably trampled. Maya started to respond back with some insult about being in a room full of giraffes and a stomping herd of elephants when someone ran behind Lucas (with suspiciously long, wavy brown hair, Maya noted) and Lucas was shoved roughly forward.

And he was already kind of off balance and leaning down towards her so he kind of flailed when he lost his balance and planted his hands on her shoulders to steady himself, and his face just kind of… _fell_.

Right into hers.

It was honestly more of a nose squishing nose type of ordeal with a sprinkle of lip to lip contact than anything, but that didn't stop Maya's eyebrows from lifting and her heart from skipping a beat at the contact. He broke quickly away from her, not particularly perturbed, but still looking anxious.

"You alright?"

She nodded, a little surprised at the occurrence, though she masked it well. "It's fine."

He apologized profusely, and she continued to tell him it didn't matter and that it was just an accident. But Billy and the other guys Lucas had been talking to were watching them with intrigued and sly smiles.

And by the end of their second day of school, their entire class was convinced that they liked each other, though they continued to reject the speculation.

 **Five**

In the summer before sophomore year, the Matthews went on vacation to Spain for half the summer and unfortunately several of their other friends had also gone on family vacations or to camps. It was only Maya, Lucas, and Zay left by the time summer really kicked off so they'd spent a lot of time with each other at Topangas just chilling and hanging out.

Somehow, one conversation had turned to baseball. And that conversation had led to the discovery that Maya had never actually seen a baseball game live and in person. And above that, she barely knew any of the terminology.

Of course, that revelation had been met with shock, and Lucas and Zay decided to take her to a baseball game. They were absolutely confused as to how she could have lived in New York her whole life and never been to an actual baseball game.

So that was how she found herself in the third inning of a Yankees game, seated next to Lucas while he explained some of the more confusing logistics and terminology and lingo of the game to her every couple of minutes. He ignored all the innuendo and puns she quipped back in response.

"So what do you think so far?" he asked, leaning over to speak directly in her ear.

"It's alright… Kind of boring." She drawled, pretending to be unaffected by the light tufts of his breath fanning her ear. She fought to keep her face from turning red from his proximity and kept her eyes on the game and away from his direction.

Then the announcer called attention to a gopher ball, and Maya frowned. She didn't understand why the damn sport couldn't just use normal language to describe things. Complicating things was ridiculous.

So she turned to ask Lucas what the heck a gopher ball was at the same time he leaned and turned his head to explain what it was.

And it happened.

It wasn't quite a "kiss" per se, but she was certain her lips had briefly run across his.

She felt a jolt go through her body, and she stared wide eyed at him. He watched her contemplatively, his face still right in front of hers and their gazes still unmoving and connected.

What the heck was going on?

"Maya…" he started, sounding a little confused and just watching her face.

All she had to do was just lean forward a little bit, and she could be kissing him for real.

But then Zay finally came back with the hotdogs and drinks before Lucas could finish his sentence and they pulled away quickly. Zay watched them suspiciously, inquiring about their suspect red faces and the empty seat they had now put between themselves.

Maya distracted him by reminding him he had forgotten to buy Cracker Jack for her stereotypical baseball experience, he ran off, and the conversation had been dropped.

But her eyes kept drifting to Lucas' to find him watching her, and she kept averting her gaze as quickly as possible.

What was this?

Once or twice was a coincidence. But this? It was starting to look like a pattern to her…

 **Six**

As expected, Lucas' apt sports abilities and dedication to his team and natural borne leadership skills allowed him to quickly rise through the ranks of his team and become a captain during their junior year. And lead them he did. All the way through the season and into the finals for playoffs.

Their football team had been the biggest underdogs of the season, but had actually made it very far because of great team camaraderie, leadership, and some of the best darn dedicated players the school had seen in several, several years.

Only seconds remained in the game and their team was down by five points, but could turn it around with just one touchdown. The air surrounding the fans was electric in the stands and the game had gotten so heartpounding and intense and crazy and everybody was biting nails and gripping rails and pulling hair in worry over whether the team would win. Maya wasn't even a fan of sports, but even she had turned up for this game and was completely enthralled by the turn of events.

There were some close calls and almost interceptions that scared the crap out of their schools' fans, but somehow, their team pulled through. Lucas managed to fake a pass with his WR and scored the game winning touchdown in the last few seconds of the game. And when that horn for the touchdown blew and the lights flashed crazily, and he yanked off his helmet and threw a fist in the air, the crowd literally went bat shit and students bum rushed the field to the celebrating players.

Their team had just won the playoffs.

For the first time in almost seven years, they had actually won the playoffs.

The entire thing was like some cliché scene in the movies with everyone cheering and acting crazy in the middle of the field. But Maya put aside her distaste of all things cliché and joined her friends in the shouting and cheering and hopping up and down and hugging random people she never had conversations with in her life.

"Hey Ranger Rick!" she shouted, running over to him when she saw him. "Congratulations!"

"Maya!"

She'd been planning on giving Lucas a quick congratulatory hug and then going on her way (she _did_ have an exam in a few days, afterall), but when she approached him, he picked her up and spun her around and kissed her before she even had time to process anything.

It was long and it was sweaty and kind of gross because he _reeked_ something fierce, but she felt shivers run through her body, and her face burst into colour. And just like that, he put her down and continued celebrating and hugging and high fiving other people.

Maya was frozen in place for quite a long time, blinking in shock and fingers touching her lips, wondering if he even realized what he'd just done.

When Riley later asked her why her face was so red, she blamed it on the couple of beers she snuck out of Shawn's fridge and not her crazily beating heart.

 **Seven**

It'd taken Maya a little while to figure out what she wanted to do with her life. Some friends knew exactly what they wanted. Farkle wanted to go into politics by the time freshman year had ended. Lucas knew he wanted to be a vet back in middle school. Even Riley knew she wanted to work in non-profit or international affairs or perhaps just an observer of humanity in other cultures in the future. Smackle wanted to be a diplomat. And it went on and on and on. It took three years of high school, but Maya was finally positive she wanted to study painting.

And so her studio art teacher had nominated her for a prestigious summer art scholarship program in Paris for that coming summer.

And Maya _desperately_ wanted—no, _needed_ —to get accepted.

It was her last chance since this program would look great on her applications to art schools in New York in the fall. She wouldn't be eligible after she graduated next year. And it wasn't just for her. She wanted to get in for all the people who had supported her and encouraged her during the long semester of setting up her application.

Lucas had tutored her in French to help her prepare for the exam. Riley gave her plenty of information about the best sights to see and the best attractions in Paris. Farkle had given her information on cultural customs and how not to look ignorant in a different country. Zay had been sending her thousands of pictures of food she should try and send to him over the summer. Even Smackle, who lived almost on the other side of the city, dropped by one weekend to give Maya a key to her house so she could use her basement as her unofficial studio for working on her submission pieces. Even Billy and Missy and other classmates who she didn't even know frequently wished her luck or asked her to buy authentic Nutella and bring back something cool.

By the time the decision letter came out, everyone was all hyped up and crazy excited. No one as much as herself, though, because she'd been working for this the entire semester, and she couldn't help but want to make everyone proud. Especially since they had invested so much time in her.

Maya tore open the envelope and skimmed the top.

"Thank you for applying to our summer art program here in Paris at the…" she tapered off, eyes roving over the page to find what she was looking for.

"Well?"

"I-I got in…" she said, her hands shaking slightly. "…And I got a full ride!"

The entire congregation at Topanga's erupted in cheers and whoops and hollers. She was not a crier by nature, but being surrounded by friends and family and hearing the sound of everyone's congratulatory celebrating made her a little emotional.

And she turned around and met Lucas' eyes and when she saw Lucas' proud, jovial smile, she didn't really think about what she was doing.

She was sure her _mind_ decided to hug him, but her body leaned up and kissed him right on the mouth. His hands hovered over her back for a moment in confusion before finally settling on her waist. The kiss lingered for several seconds, but she didn't think about it at all at the moment.

Not even when she broke away, and he looked completely dazed. Not even when her mother brought out a celebratory cake. Not even when she was sitting on his lap (because there weren't enough seats!), and he just held her loosely around the waist, chin resting on her shoulder as they all animatedly discussed everything she had to do in Paris now that she was officially going. Not even weeks later when she packed her bags with Riley's help.

She didn't think about it until she was on the plane to Paris with the other scholars and suddenly realized that she'd accidentally kissed him. And that he never pulled away.

And that she honestly had really liked it.

 **Eight**

Whoever told Maya APES was a good class was ridiculous, and she was going to clobber them on the head with a shoe. She'd gotten back from Paris and hadn't had any real time to choose her classes or fix up her schedule so she'd just taken everyone's words for the best courses and left her schedule as it was with a minor change in replacing AP Chem with APES.

She'd done it to get her science credits and get her GPA up because of some pretty poor scores freshman year (and sophomore year and junior year) and this class was considered one of the easiest A classes aside from one big project and a couple papers that needed writing.

But no one warned her about the stupid camping/hiking trip at the start of the year. It was so that the students of the class could develop a better appreciation for the outdoors and all of its beauty and the beauty of nature. She thought it was ridiculous.

Maya didn't _do_ the outdoors. And she didn't _do_ roughing it. And bugs and no electricity and no service and no soft comfortable bed. And a number of other things involved in this trip.

At least one good thing was that Lucas took the class with her, just so she could have a friend (though she suspected it was because he was the one who had convinced her in the first place, and he felt guilty). It was a nice thing to do, though she tried not to think too much about that since Lucas had pretty much been the only thing on her mind all summer. The amount of sketches and paintings of him or parts of him that she'd buried under her bed from the summer were almost in the hundreds. She'd honestly have to find a way to torch them or get rid of them before someone discovered them.

After walking another quarter mile, they approached a little stream and their teacher allowed them a break to stretch, wash their faces and refresh themselves before they continued onward.

Maya plopped down on the bank, and near tore off her shoes, soaking her aching feet in the refreshing stream. She wiggled her toes experimentally, sighing when the bones finally cracked. They'd been walking for what seemed like hours, and she was just about done with all of this. Lucas sat next to her, barely having broken a sweat and looking like he frickin just stepped out of a magazine.

"How are you in perfect shape right now, Huckleberry?" she said crabbily.

"My grandpa's ranch has miles and miles of land we have to work day in and day out." He said smugly. "This is nothing compared to that."

"I hate you…" she moaned, standing up to go further into the stream and wash her face.

"Maya careful. There's probably glass and sharp rocks in there."

And as soon as he gave her the warning, Maya misstepped and slipped on a rock, gashing her foot open and tumbling into the water with a yell. Everyone ran to her in alarm. It was overall very embarrassing for Maya, who hated looking stupid in front of anyone.

Lucas volunteered to carry her back to the campsite and help with first aid until the medic would arrive. He had some experience and training in administering first aid (technically for animals, but it was still training nonetheless). So he took her back and inspected her foot and wrapped it with bandages from the first aid kit and made sure she was okay. He pulled his blanket out from inside his knapsack and put it around her, sitting next to her and wrapping a comforting arm around her shoulders to help her warm up.

He was being unbelievably sweet and helping her and in a slight moment of vulnerability (which she would vehemently deny to herself for the next several months), she wanted to thank him for being such a good friend. Not just for that day, but also for all the help and support he'd always given her.

She was honestly just going to give him a soft peck on the cheek to thank him.

And in retrospect, maybe it wasn't such a good idea to call out his name before she leaned in, but he turned his head and next thing she knew, their lips were fused and her eyes were closed and so were his and his arms were wrapped around her waist, pulling her closer to him.

At least, until one of the teacher's assistants who had gone on the trip with them returned to check on them and broke up their little make out session. Maya thought falling into the stream was embarrassing, but it had nothing on this.

They sat there with blushes on their faces as the assistant scolded them. She left to go find the medic and told them to keep their hormones out of this trip or she would separate them.

"That was… embarrassing."

"I'd rather we never talk about this again." Maya said, pointedly avoiding his gaze.

"Agreed."

She glanced at him and smiled slightly before starting to laugh at the hilarity of the situation. He laughed with her and the tension seemed to diffuse a bit.

Maya honestly wasn't sure whether Lucas misunderstood her original intentions or not, but she knew during it all, she'd had no desire to pull away any time soon. And clearly, neither had he. Which honestly said a lot about the fact that neither had made any attempts to stop it.

But the scariest part was how completely natural it all had felt to her.

And how much she wanted to kiss him again.

 **Nine**

New Year's Eve in New York was incredible. It always snowed; it was always fun; there were always incredible parties thrown. And best of all, the adults didn't give a crap about what the teens did. Including drinking until they were wasted and running around like they used to when they were children.

Farkle had thrown a NYE party this year and invited his friends to watch the fireworks from his giant house on a hill. Farkle's lawn was almost bigger than their whole school's acres of land and so, like any drunk seniors living up their last year in high school, they'd gotten the crazy idea to go outside and play in the snow. Even Smackle, the most conservative of them all had a couple shots and ran outside and promptly tossed haphazard snowballs at people. It wasn't long before the rest of them joined in and a girls versus guys snow fight erupted.

"This is for making me take APES, Huckleberry!" Maya shouted as she and Riley stuffed snow down Lucas' back.

Everyone was just goofing off and playing around, enjoying their youth before that ended and life became about preparing for their careers. Before they all separated and went their own ways after years of being able to spend time together each day. It was bittersweet in that sense, but the friends weren't thinking about that.

They just wanted a good time. Who cared about life at the moment?

The frolicking continued much like that, with various people attacking others until Zay called out that there were only fifteen seconds until midnight.

By that point, many of them had started to collapse in various places in the snow, breathing hard and laughing at life in general. They were all buzzed and dazed and hazy with alcohol in their systems. He counted down the numbers to one, and they all laid there watching the sky as it erupted into thousands of sparkling coloured lights and stars.

They shouted Happy New Year and celebrated by whooping and cheering.

Maya didn't know if it was because it was the New Year and she just wanted to kiss someone or if deep down, she knew it was Lucas next to her holding her hand and lightly stroking circles, but when the person beside her rolled over and kissed her, she didn't push them away.

She just let it run its course and wrapped her arms around them, ignoring the suggestive whistling of her friends around her and growing more certain with each passing second that she knew who was above her. She could tell in the way the kisses felt familiar, like she'd kissed this person multiple times before.

(Which technically, she had).

So she opened her eyes when he pulled away and the soft viridian was watching her warmly.

It started to get cold so they all eventually stood up and left to go back indoors. She and Lucas didn't address the kiss, just held each other's hand as they walked back inside Farkle's mansion.

And she was a little anxious. Because this was no longer accidental by circumstance. And she knew she couldn't say it was because of the alcohol.

So where did that leave them now?

 **Ten**

Maya sipped on the punch in her hand boredly watching everyone chat and talk about their future plans. There was Riley taking a couple pictures for her pre-college scrapbook so she could always remember the moments.

Despite her somewhat sour mood, it wasn't a bad graduation party. The food was swell and the venue was really nice. Maya had originally been having an okay time, but now the stupid DJ seemed to think it was couple time or something and was consistently playing slow songs. She'd watched her friends all get up to have their dance with their special someone. For a moment, Maya thought she would be the odd one out, but then someone stepped in front of her, arm outstretched and typical, unassuming smile on his face.

"Shortstack?"

"Don't call me that, Huckleberry."

And he smiled, waiting patiently for her decision.

It was weird because she knew there was something going on between them. And everyone seemed to have picked up on the vibes between the two of them. People had stopped hitting on them both almost entirely so she figured they had figured out that she and Lucas were technically unavailable, though she and Lucas had yet to discuss this new development in their relationship.

She rolled her eyes and took his hands to the area where most of the couples were slowly rocking back and forth. She settled easily and perfectly in his arms and just watched him. She would die before she admitted she thought this to anyone, but his eyes were sparkling in the light and for just a small moment, she really did feel something like a Cinderella and him her Charming. She knew it was the perfect moment. And apparently, so did he.

Because he kissed her.

But this one didn't feel like the others. This was definite, sure. It wasn't some stupid accidental mouth clobbering or misunderstanding. This was an honest to goodness, 'I like you, Maya Hart' kiss. It was sending butterflies fluttering in her stomach, and she _loved_ it.

He broke away and rested his forehead against hers.

"I was thinking we could make this official. I mean, we have kissed ten times and all."

"You've been keeping count, Ranger Rick?" she snorted.

"You know you have been too." He riposted without missing a beat.

She couldn't deny that. "Yeah. Let's make it official."

He smiled, "Eleven?"

She frowned briefly in confusion, but the frown left her face when he leaned down and their lips met again.

She pulled slightly away, "You're not going to be keeping count of every kiss we have forever right?"

"Maybe..." He muttered against her lips.

Then he slid both arms around her and kissed her more deeply. And Maya smiled into the kiss. Because it was funny.

It took them nine accidental kisses (due somewhat in part to her meddling best friend) and one intentional one, but they finally got together.


	9. Let There Be Cake!

**Zay POV as requested. Apologies if this is not what you expected. The words stopped making sense to me after a while, and I was just writing to write and uh, I couldn't think of how to end it properly hehehehe...  
**

 **Enjoy! Thanks for the reviews and support! More one-shots to come this week! :D  
**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own GMW.**

* * *

 **Title: Let There Be Cake! (lol wut?)  
Pairings&Characters: Lucaya, Zay, Riley (mentioned)  
** **Genre: Romance, Humor, Angst(maybe?), AU  
Rating: T for Truce. Undeniably.  
Summary: Where making a cake for Riley's birthday goes horribly, horribly wrong. (Or horribly, horribly right?) **

**Same universe as Here We Go Again.  
**

 **Inspired by Ollie, who is really oblivious and ends up in awkward ass situations all the time.  
**

* * *

Riley's birthday was tomorrow.

And as a gift, Maya wanted to make a cake for her. A little vanilla cake with rainbow coloured frosting and unicorns made of jellybeans. Zay honestly thought it sounded horrifying, but he didn't want to offend Maya and incur her wrath. So when she called him up asking for his help, he had agreed. She had cited since she didn't know how to bake, clearly she had been in over her head and needed some help to figure out the convoluted text in the cookbook. He'd been all on board for the plan to make the adorable brunette that special cake.

Except there was one problem:

Zay didn't know shit about baking, much less what all the ingredients for a cake were. The only thing that he knew about cake, was how to stuff his face with it.

But since he knew Lucas' mom was all big on forcing Lucas to learn how to cook and bake and do laundry and be independent and all that shit to prepare for college next year (so that he wouldn't be one of those kids who had to travel all the way back every time they needed something and couldn't take care of themselves), Zay figured if anyone knew about this whole baking crap, it would be his best friend.

So he'd called Lucas asking if he could accompany him to Maya's home to help with the cake baking.

Of course, he should have picked up on the weirdness from the start.

Namely two things:

One. Why Maya hadn't just called Lucas in the first place, especially since she knew he could cook.

And two. Why Lucas had hesitated when Zay had originally asked him to come along.

Those two comprised the first strike.

In any case, Zay had continued to badger Lucas and bug him until the boy had finally relented and reluctantly joined him.

"What the hell are you doing here?"

"Riley's my friend too. You're not the only one who wants her to have a good birthday. Plus, Zay asked me for help."

The second strike was their cold demeanor towards each other.

By that point, Zay probably should have picked up on the heightened animosity and the fact that they didn't kiss each other hello, but since they started dating in mid high school, Zay had become quite accustomed to their random, sudden inexplicable irritation with each other, and he'd ignored it. He was sure whatever was going on would blow over eventually anyway, and they'd be back to their kissy kissy, lovey dovey, bickering and bantering annoying teen couple world in a moment.

So Zay had started to search for a quick and easy recipe they could follow with the meager ingredients Maya had in her cupboards and fridge. All the while, Lucas and Maya continued to growl and snap at each other every other minute, yet Zay assumed it was just the typical banter and didn't focus on it. They would get over it any second now.

"I don't want to talk to you about this right now."

"Well we're going to have to eventually, Maya. You can't ignore me forever."

"Watch me."

He was wrong.

"What do you guys think about this recipe?"

Zay pointed out a cake that had applesauce in the center. It looked good. And it was random and fun and easy seemed like something Riley would enjoy.

"Yeah. That's fine."

"Sure. Whatever."

Both continued to glare at each other, not even peering once at the recipe. Zay shrugged and got the stuff out, deciding it didn't really matter to him whether they wanted to make that particular cake or not.

The whole time they had all worked, putting the ingredients together and working on that cake, Lucas and Maya had been shooting each other dirty looks and glares and were standing as far apart as they possibly could. When Maya had trouble grabbing a bowl from the upper cabinets, Lucas "pretended" like he couldn't see her struggling. And when Maya went to grab milk from the fridge she "accidentally" stomped on Lucas' foot with her heel (and she was wearing sharp heeled boots. Lucas deserved mega props for not physically reacting after that, because _damn_. That had looked like it hurt. A lot).

Zay hadn't taken much heed to that and continued to make amicable conversation and crack jokes even though Lucas was gritting his teeth, and Maya was growling at him.

Until the third strike.

Because the third strike? Was literally a _strike_.

As in, Maya threw an egg at Lucas after some comment Zay hadn't heard and it broke after it struck his face. And even then, Zay for some stupid reason, had thought they were joking around and playing. Even as Lucas' eyes narrowed dangerously, and he walked right up to her and cracked a handful of eggs on top of her head. They were both seething and glaring at each other in challenge as egg gunk dripped down their faces.

"You know what _Lucas_? If you want to be an ass, that's your problem. You're not going to get any sympathy from me."

Only _then_ did Zay finally realized they weren't kidding. They were legitimately angry at each other.

Maya had used Lucas' actual name. Which was a clear sign she was either A) furious with him or B) was being lovey dovey with him or C) comforting him. And judging by the fact that she was glaring at him angrily, he reckoned it was definitely A.

"Umm guys?" Zay said cautiously. "Chill out would you…"

But as he watched both their hands creep slowly to ingredients on the counter, he knew what was about to happen. And he wasn't about to get caught up in it. As soon as Zay dove behind the counter, Maya threw a handful of flour at Lucas while he scooped up some batter and smeared it all over her head. And that was really all it took for them to get into a ridiculous food fight, hurtling ingredients and insults at each other.

"Why the hell did you punch him? He didn't even do anything!"

"Why do you think I punched him?! He was all over you!"

"I don't know what you think you saw, but you're _delusional_ , okay? Get help."

Zay peeked up from underneath the counter, and then zoomed back down when sugar catapulted past his head. This was going to be a real bitch to clean up if they didn't calm down.

"Dammit you guys!" Zay shouted from his crouch behind the counter, "You're fucking up the cake!"

This throwing of the only ingredients they frickin' had and yelling at the top of their lungs thing went on for several more minutes and eventually, Zay just sat there on the kitchen floor, playing Tetris on his phone for lack of anything better to do.

(And also because it was a war zone out there and he had no intention of getting accidentally clobbered in the head by a measuring cup. Maya had a _very_ good arm).

"What, so it's my fault now?"

"Maybe if you stopped flirting with every guy you found attractive, we wouldn't have this problem!"

" _Excuse me_? I'm not even going to dignify that _bullshit_ with a response. Since when have I flirted with any other guys?"

The food had stopped being thrown for a while by this point, as they continued their argument, and Zay finally stood up, stretching out his stiff limbs. Maya had her hands on her hips, and Lucas was leaning down with a glower. This part, Zay recognized. This was the part where their argument would die down. Neither would back down and Maya would storm off or Lucas would leave, and they would follow the other, but there would finally be peace and quiet.

"I'm not okay with it Maya! Why can't you understand that?"

Any second now.

"What? Are you _jealous_ or something?"

Wait for it… Wait for it…

" _Yes dammit!_ "

Well.

 _That_ was new.

It got quiet after that, and Zay watched as Maya and Lucas stared at each other, both pairs of eyes glinting and their breathing harsh. Her eyes were wide—shocked even—as she stared up at him, her arms slackened against her side. Her challenging pose was gone and instead replaced by alarm. Lucas almost looked defeated, and he spoke quietly through grit teeth.

"Who the hell wouldn't be jealous if their girlfriend was hanging out and having a good time with the guy she had a crush on for years…"

"Lucas…"

Neither of them said anything else.

And then Zay watched Maya bite her lip as she gazed up at Lucas.

He figured they were done with all that arguing crap now. So Zay took that as an opportunity to try to get supplies to wrangle them into cleaning up the mess. They _were_ the cause of the mess. Now they had to clean it.

"Alright now that _that_ mess is over and done with, while you guys start cleaning up the mess in here, I'll grab a broom."

Now. After not picking up on their earlier animosity, one would think Zay would recall what happened when he made assumptions and learn from his mistakes. They hadn't quite been finished yet with their argument. Not even close. There hadn't been any conclusion yet.

But Zay, of course, didn't pick up on that.

Not even when he heard a clatter of utensils hitting the floor coming from the kitchen.

So when he came back, his jaw dropped in shock. He was rendered _speechless_. And that had never happened before in his life.

And he was sure he was seeing things because when he'd gone to the hall closet to pick up the broom and dustpan to start cleaning the mess up, he was pretty sure Lucas and Maya had still been glaring at each other.

But that was clearly not the case now.

Lucas had Maya up on the counter, and they were _really_ going at it. He was talking hands all over, legs wrapped around hips, intense frenching type of thing. So intensely, in fact, that Zay could feel the heat all the way from his position at the hallway entrance.

Now Zay was used to doing awkward things or saying things that made other people uncomfortable. He was _that_ dude who had no inhibitions and no filter, and it wasn't usually a problem for him. He just didn't care. He _never_ got embarrassed.

Until today.

There was just something about the way that Lucas was earnestly, almost brutally kissing Maya and she was clawing at the buttons of his shirt and yanking him closer with her legs that made Zay realize if he didn't get the hell out of there, he would probably be given a show he did not want to see.

And then Maya moaned heavily into Lucas' mouth when he shifted closer to her, and Zay dropped the broom and walked straight out of the apartment, not daring to look back.

Riley had warned him about hanging out with Lucas and Maya when they were pissed at each other. She'd told him to steer clear, to leave the room, to hide, _anything_ to get away from them but Zay had ignored it, thinking it couldn't be a big deal.

Oh how wrong he'd been.

And he couldn't un-see what his eyes had just been assaulted with. It was definitely going to be awkward hanging out with them for a while.

"You know what? I think I should just buy a cake…"

He had a feeling Maya and Lucas would be unavailable to make any cake for a while. Although he was sure Lucas would be eating cake…

He grimaced and shook his head in disgust.

"Too soon."


	10. Practice Makes Perfect

**We all know Maya is turned on by angry Lucas. I bet you, secretly, Lucas is the same. Even if Maya is yelling in his face and swearing at him, I feel like the only thing he'd be thinking about is kissing her.  
**

 **So one of my friends started watching GMW and was like "Lucas and Maya would be a cute couple", and I went bat shit and revealed my obsession and all my headcanons and fanfiction writing life to her and shoved all my fanfic recs in her face at once and her reaction was literally ε** **ε** **ε** **ε** ** ** ** ** ** **ε********** ＝（ﾉﾟдﾟ）ﾉ I think I'm too Lucaya af for her right now... I ****probably** **should have started out slowly lol. It doesn't matter though. She'll come around and become hardcore Lucaya Trash soon enough... "ψ(｀∇´)ψ WAHAHAHAHAH!  
**

 **Enjoy! Thank you for the reviews! I appreciate them a lot! :D  
**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own GMW.**

* * *

 **Title: Practice Makes Perfect  
Pairings&Characters: Lucaya, Katy (mentioned)  
** **Genre: Humor, Romance, Fluff, WAFF, AU  
Rating: T for trippy conversations with moms.  
Summary: Katy gives Maya some... _advice._ **

**Written because Lucas and Maya having such a chill relationship in the future gives me warm and fuzzy feelings.**

 **(Would have been a K+, but somehow, I always manage to pervert a simple fic into something with vulgarity...)**

 **UPDATE 06.06.15: Changed one line because it rubbed me the wrong way. Also, felt I should clarify. This alternate universe is one in which Maya's mom neglected Maya in her youth because she couldn't let go of her partying lifestyle and is now trying to slowly make amends. This was a part of an AU fic about Maya's struggles reconciling her shambled past and her future with Lucas that I never got around to writing and then gave up on haha.**

* * *

Maya stormed into her and Lucas' apartment seething and pissed off beyond belief. She slammed the door shut and tossed her keys on the kitchen counter with a soft growl under her breath. Lucas watched her with a raised brow, used to her coming home angry for various reasons, but still a little wary of her turning her temper on him.

"Hey." he greeted with a smile, mixing the pot on the stove. "How was shopping with your mom?"

"Terrible." she tossed off her coat and flung it haphazardly on the sofa before stepping out of her ankle boots and approaching the kitchen island.

"What happened?"

"My mom and I went to a quaint little tea place thingy that recently opened at the mall for a refreshment." She said, waving her hands about dismissively, "There were all these women with babies and young children taking a break there too."

"That sounds nice."

"It wasn't." her lip curled. "My mom was all obsessed with them, cooing at them and kissing them and just gushing and being her typical annoying self when she sees kids."

"How is that so bad?" he asked, peering inside the oven to check on the food, "Aren't you used to it by now?"

"Yeah. I'm used to _that._ " she said, rolling her eyes. "What I'm not used to is to the subject that came after that."

"What came after?"

"The subject of grandkids. As in, when she'll get hers."

Lucas straightened and stared at her, eyebrow raised a little in amusement.

"She wouldn't shut up about wanting grandkids. She was all like 'I'm not gonna be this young and gorgeous forever Maya. I want to be able to pick up your future children.'" Maya said, affecting her mother's dramatic method of speaking, "Every other second! Even when the waiter came to take our order, she brought it up, asking him if he thought I should have kids. He gave me the number for a damn sperm bank."

Lucas chuckled quietly, looking for the bottle of white wine in the pantry. "But Katy always says stuff like that. She brought it up at dinner last week too."

"While, yes, it's not uncommon for her to bring it up, this time, she went too far." Maya said in low tone, her eyes shining in disgust.

"What did she do?"

"She used _my_ cycle to get her gynecologist to map out my most fertile days and basically told the whole world that next week would be a perfect time to 'breed'. It was embarrassing!"

He walked back to the stove, pouring a little wine into a pan on the stove. "It couldn't have been that bad, babe."

"It was. Take a look at this."

Maya rummaged in her bag, shifting aside old receipts and clutter until she found what she was looking for. She yanked a small book out and tossed it across the counter towards him.

Lucas wiped his hands on a dish towel and picked it up, reading the cover, "Twenty-one Different Ways To Maximize Fertilization."

"You see that bullshit?"

He laughed, shaking his head in mirth. "Your mom is something else."

"Read the title of chapter sixteen."

He peered inside, flipping to the indicated chapter.

"How to train your sperm to survive in even the most deadly of vaginas." Lucas frowned. "That's, uh… _interesting_."

"She does this crap all the time!" Maya threw her hands up in frustration. "Remember when she swapped your condoms out with expired ones back when we were in college?"

He winced, remembering how shaken up Maya had gotten after one of them had broken. That had led to the grueling Summer of Celibacy.

"Yeah."

"And then when she tried to switch my birth control with peppermints earlier this year? I've had it!"

Lucas could tell Maya was getting pretty upset about the whole thing.

"Maya, she was probably just playing around today. Don't take it to heart."

"No. I'm done with her. Does she think this is funny?" Maya growled. "We just tied the knot a month ago. Why the hell is she so insistent on me having damn kids as soon as possible?"

Lucas cut off the oven and stove with a sigh and walked around the island to Maya. He wrapped his arms around her waist and held her to him, kissing her softly on the forehead.

"She might just want you to finally have a real family. Maybe she thinks a baby will do just that."

She frowned in concern, fiddling with a button on his shirt, "Yeah, but why does she think I'm ready to be a mom… I can barely take care of myself."

"Maybe she sees something in you that tells her you are." He cradled her face in his hand, rubbing her cheek gently, "Do you think you're ready?"

"I honestly don't know. Part of me says I want a kid of my own, but the other part is too scared to. I just don't want to screw this up like my mom did. I don't want to make the same mistakes as her. I don't want to be a mother that my children will resent."

Maya acted tough, but deep down, Lucas knew she had a lot of insecurities and demons she was still battling. He was just glad that she opened up to him about her problems now. It was a far cry from the start of their relationship years ago where she had actively avoided talking about anything.

"Maya. I know you would make an amazing mother _because_ you would make sure to never let yourself make the same mistakes as Katy. You've learned from the mistakes of the past, and you know what not to do." He tucked a strand of her hair behind her ear. "Don't fret about it. Whatever you decide, I'll support your decision."

"Do you want kids?" she asked cautiously, meeting his gaze anxiously.

"I wouldn't mind a few mini-Mayas running around." Lucas shrugged with a smile, "But I'm willing to wait until you're ready."

"Thank you." she leaned up and pressed her lips chastely against his. "You're the best."

"Anything for my wife."

She snuggled against his chest, "You know it could be a pretty long wait, right?"

"I don't mind. Although…" he said playfully, sliding his hands over her ass and whispering suggestively in her ear, "More _practice_ until it's time wouldn't hurt."

"What?"

"Your mom _did_ give us a book with some great tips." He nuzzled her neck, lightly brushing the skin with his lips. "We should try them all out." He kissed a slow, deliberate trail up her neck to her ear. "Right now." He bit the lobe, tugging on it. "After all, I need to train my sperm, don't I?"

Maya blushed, involuntarily pressing herself closer to him. No matter how long she'd been with Lucas, her body could never get used to his kisses.

"I have to paint." She sighed, breath catching a bit when his mouth grazed over a sensitive part of her neck.

"That can wait." He caught her chin and gave her a languid, heat-filled kiss that momentarily blurred her focus and made her knees go weak.

"…What about dinner?"

"You're all the dinner I need, Maya." He said, slowly pulling off her glasses and setting them on the kitchen counter.

"You're such a dork."

But she laughed as he scooped her up and tossed her onto the couch, crawling on top of her with a naughty grin.


	11. Never Again

**Give Me Love was playing in the background of the tram while I wrote this… that was _not_ a good idea. I'm an emotional mess now… I just don't understand how Lucaya can cause me literal _physical_ pain. I've never shipped a couple so much in my life… What is this… Do they have a medical term for this affliction?  
**

 **Alright. Finally found Tell Tale Tot online! Gonna go watch it!  
**

 **Enjoy! Thank you for the reviews! I'm glad you guys liked the last chapter! :D**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own GMW.**

* * *

 **Title: Never Again  
Pairings&Characters: Lucaya  
Genre: Angst, Romance, Hurt/Comfort, Fluff, WAFF, CHEEEEEEEESE, AU  
Rating: K+ for Kindled Emotions  
Summary: ****He did leave once.  
**

* * *

One of Lucas' requirements in his residency for obtaining his vet license was to attend a mandatory week-long conference in California with other vets for training. It just so happened that the day he was to leave, he and his long-time girlfriend Maya had gotten into some outrageous fight. It had been terrible and disruptive and punctuated by insults they had carelessly thrown around and though Lucas didn't remember how it started, it had not ended amicably in the least.

"Don't you dare leave, you ass!"

"I have a plane to catch." He growled over his shoulder, slamming the door shut and drowning out her enraged yells.

He'd gone to the airport and cut off his phone because he expected some nasty voicemails or texts and quite frankly, at the moment, he didn't want to deal with her acerbic tongue and snarky responses to everything he had to say in their argument. He had other things to focus on.

So he had shoved it to the back of his mind.

After arriving, he and a few colleagues had gone immediately to the networking seminar and social gathering for all the vets to meet each other. It wasn't until the end of the day, tired and flopping onto his hotel bed, did he remember he had shut off his phone. He half expected there to be one hundred threats on his phone and a million voicemails of her claiming she was right. When Maya believed she was right, she would stop at nothing to tear him down and wear him out until he agreed. He sighed and turned on his phone, knowing that despite his exhaustion he'd have to face his spitfire girlfriend eventually.

There was nothing.

No missed calls, no texts, no voicemails. Not even an email.

Lucas frowned in confusion, but didn't dwell on it.

He figured she was still stowing over the whole fight and was giving him the silent treatment. Which was fine by him. He wanted some peace and quiet and welcomed the silence as he went to sleep.

The first official day of the conference passed much the same way. He was entirely busy with his learning and training and didn't have much time to check his phone. He and his colleagues had had very loaded schedules, so Lucas didn't have much to think about anything outside of his vet work. But once again, when he checked his phone at night, there was no contact from Maya.

The next day was the same. No contact.

And the next.

And the next one after that.

By the morning of day five, Lucas was restless and agitated and carried his cellphone with him at all times, checking it frequently and huffing in exasperation when there was still nothing from Maya. He got called out a couple of times by friends who tried to get him to pay attention. But his mind just wasn't in it. He wondered why Maya hadn't sent anything yet. And he would be lying if he said he wasn't worried.

By mid-afternoon seminars, Lucas was pissed off. If she wanted to act that coldly than that was fine by him. He wanted nothing to do with it. He'd let her throw her little silent treatment hissy fit. He sent her one angry text, telling her she was being immature. But part of him knew he had done it just to goad her into responding. He didn't even want an apology or anything at this point. He just wanted her to speak for goodness sakes.

But by the evening, Lucas was staring at his phone forlornly, missing the sound of her voice. Even if she was yelling at the top of her lungs at him. He missed her vulgar text messages. His trip would be over in a couple of days, and she hadn't made any efforts to speak to him once. It was wholly upsetting, and he went to sleep wondering if she was truly furious at him. Their fight hadn't been that bad, had it?

The next morning, he took his seat at the seminar on diagnosing animal infections and illnesses, just wanting it to end already and hoping to just get through the rest of the days and make his way home as soon as he could. He wasn't going to stay for the social gathering at the end. His mind continued to stray back to Maya. Or rather, the _lack_ of Maya.

How mad could she possibly be?

Sure, he'd left angry, but it wasn't like they had never had an argument before. He ran through the parts he could remember, the words that had been said, anything he could have possibly missed that would give him a clue.

And then it hit him.

The end of their argument kept playing on repeat in his mind and with each subsequent play, he grew more and more appalled. He could see it clearly now that his mind wasn't clouded by his rage. Her trembling hands, the apprehensive look on her face, her eyes shining with unshed tears.

The words she had said, voice shaking and almost pleading.

 _"Don't you dare leave, you ass!"_

She hadn't wanted him to leave.

And he'd walked straight out the door.

Lucas felt sick to his stomach. No wonder she hadn't called yet or checked up on him at all that week.

Did she think he had left her?

From her standpoint, it probably looked that way.

This was all his fault.

And Lucas grew scared. Because he'd been gone six days already and if those thoughts were pervading her mind, then who was to say she was even still around?

What if Maya had packed up her bags and ditched the apartment?

Lucas didn't even have to think twice. He left in the middle of the seminar, gathered all his stuff, immediately checked out of his hotel room, and took the first plane he could back to NYC.

He had to get back to her. He had to let her know he was still there. That he _hadn't_ left.

As he thanked and paid the taxi driver and raced up the steps to their apartment, he hoped that Maya hadn't packed her bags and left. She had every reason to after he had done the exact thing he promised he would never do.

 _Maya, please be there._

If she gave up on them, it would tear his heart to pieces. They'd been through too much for their relationship to fall apart over something so stupid. They'd defied odds through everything that had almost torn them apart and still lasted. They were two once empty people who had found and made each other complete. He _needed_ her more than he needed air to breathe.

Lucas near kicked down the door to get inside, looking around madly and out of breath for her.

"L-Lucas?"

And his eyes focused on his startled girlfriend, next to her canvas in the living room, paint splatters on her fingertips and nose and wearing one of his shirts, sleeves rolled up multiple times. Her hair was tied in a sloppy bun, and she looked a little exhausted and somewhat goofy in her big, save-for-home librarian glasses and his too large shirt that stopped mid-thigh for her.

And he let out a breathless laugh at seeing her. His shortstack of pancakes. And he knew in that moment that he would never be able to let her go, because he loved her so, so much. So much that his heart lurched painfully in relief at seeing her still there. Still going the distance with him.

He dropped his bags at the entrance, and in a few quick steps, engulfed her into his arms, crushing her to him like he was scared if he loosened up, she would disappear into thin air. She dropped the palette and brush in her hand with a clatter, caught off guard by the sudden action.

"I love you." He murmured into her shoulder, squeezing more tightly, "I fucking love you so much."

"I love you too…?" she said, bewildered by his sudden arrival. "What are you doing here? Aren't you supposed to be in California for another few days?"

"I couldn't stay with us angry at each other like that."

Maya frowned and pushed him slightly away, "Lucas, this conference is important. You have to go back."

"Screw the conference, Maya." He said earnestly, meeting her concerned gaze, "You're more important to me than anything in the world. The only thing I could think about was you packing your bags and going. And I wouldn't be able to deal with that. I had to come back to you."

"Just because I was mad doesn't mean I was going to up and leave." Maya pushed against his chest, trying to pry herself out of his arms. "I'm still mad at you, though. So let go."

"Why didn't you call?" he asked, ignoring her completely.

"I dropped my phone in the toilet. I haven't bought a new one yet." She glared at him. "Seriously. Let go. You think you can just waltz back in here and all will be forgiven? You're still an ass, you know."

"I know." And he took her hands in his, holding them against his chest with a pleading look. "And I'm sorry. You have every right to be pissed off. I promised you I would never leave. And you asked me not to."

Her eyebrows rose in surprise, "That's not what this is–"

"Yes it is. That's why you didn't call or text me. Or leave me any threatening messages." he pressed, "You didn't know if I was going to come back. If you still had me."

"I…" she swallowed thickly and looked away, her eyes brimming with tears too proud to drop, "You're an idiot…"

"I hurt you." He stroked her cheek gently, wiping away a lone tear. "I promise I'll never do it again."

"Do you have any idea how many nights I stayed up thinking you would move on?" she blinked rapidly, trying to stop more tears from falling as her voice wavered, "How many nights I wondered if you even loved me anymore?"

Lucas watched Maya's quivering lips and distressed blue eyes and felt incredible heartache. She had honestly been worried and scared and struggling to come to terms with what had happened, and he had completely missed it. She looked so fragile in front of him and it was such a far cry from her usual self that he couldn't help but close his eyes for a moment, mentally beating himself up for being the cause of her grief. She didn't deserve it. She didn't deserve _any_ pain. Not from anyone. And _especially_ not from him.

He was an ass.

Lucas cupped her face, holding her gaze and hoping she could see as much of his sincerity that he could pour out. "How could you ever think I would leave you over such a stupid argument? You're my heart and soul, Maya. I need you."

"You don't understand. You left without saying goodbye." She whispered, grasping his wrists, "My mother and father got into an argument once, and he left without saying goodbye."

"Maya…"

"I never saw him again." She looked up at him, watery blue eyes red-rimmed and aggrieved. "When you walked out the door, the only thing I could see was my father storming out of the apartment while my mom screamed at him. It was the same…"

He remained silent, his heart thudding in his chest at her confession.

She shook her head. "You left me, Lucas."

"I'm sorry." He said softly.

She bit her lip, sniffling and giving him a small smile. "Don't ever do that to me again..."

And he gently pulled her into an urgent kiss, fingers weaving tightly through her hair as if for tangible proof that she was still around. Her arms snaked around his waist and she rose to her tip toes, fervently kissing him back.

"I love you, Shortstack." Lucas muttered in between kisses.

"I love you too, Huckleberry."

And he knew it wasn't totally fixed. He knew they would have other problems and fights in the future, but he would never leave her again.

Never again.


	12. She's Taken

**Too much to do... yet I don't care. I'll procrastinate forever if it means writing Lucaya.  
**

 **Something stupid I wrote just because the idea of Lucas Badass Friar is such a turn on... Not even ashamed to admit it.**

 **Enjoy! And thank you always for the kind reviews! They mean the world! :D**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own GMW.**

* * *

 **Title: She's Taken  
Pairings&Characters: Lucas, Maya, OCs  
Genre: Humor, ****Angst,** **Friendship, WAFF, AU  
Rating: T for Thick Headed Douche Bags  
Summary: Maya Hart _was_ single, but she was most definitely taken.**

 ***Warning: Use context clues for a bajingo if you don't know what it is (if you decide to look it up nsfw). If you do, yay!**

* * *

"Hey, you think I should try?"

"Try what?"

"Taking her out for a movie."

"A movie?"

"Bajingo* Unchained." The guy clarified, waggling his eyebrows, "If ya know what I mean."

His friend followed his gaze to where he was staring across the campus quad.

"No way."

"Why not? It's just a little test spin."

"Don't do it man. It's Maya Hart you're talking about."

"So?"

"So… she's taken."

The guy frowned, narrowing his eyes, "I asked around. She's single."

"Yeah _technically._ But she's definitely taken."

"That doesn't make any sense at all dude."

"Just don't try it."

"And why not?"

The friend leaned over, toning down his volume and speaking in hushed tones. "You know Lucas? Lucas Friar?"

"Yeah, what about him?"

"She's basically with him."

"And?"

The friend's eyes widened in fright, "So he'll mess you up if you try to go after her."

"Lucas _Pretty Boy_ Friar?" the guy laughed hard, clutching his stomach, "Yeah right. You think I'm scared of some limp dick Momma's boy coming after me? What's he gonna do? Tell on me to his mommy for snatching up his girl?"

"Dude, I know what I'm talking about. You didn't go to high school with them. Haven't you heard any of the rumours about him at all?"

"No."

"Well back in high school Maya dated some guy. He tried to trash her reputation when she wouldn't put out." The friend said, licking his lips nervously, "He ended up in the hospital for a month literally a day after Lucas found out. He didn't come back to our school after that. And then another time, some guy shoved her into a locker when she dumped him, and she got a nosebleed. No one's heard of him since."

"You're full of shit." The guy scoffed. "That's just a coincidence. You really think _Prince Charming_ would be the type to put someone in the hospital?"

"I don't know man. But there's something off about him, like he's not what you think he is or something like that."

"Shut up." The guy rolled his eyes, throwing his soda can in the trash, "I'm not scared of him. I'm going for it."

"Man, I really wouldn't if I were you." the friend pleaded. "Besides, there's no way she would go for you."

"You should listen to your friend."

They looked over their shoulders, and Lucas was standing behind them, lips quirked up in a somewhat threatening smile. He looked friendly enough, but his overall demeanor was very irate, and his eyes were glinting sharply. Simply put, he looked like he was about to kick someone's ass.

"What?" the guy said, sneering. "You say something, _Friar_?"

"You heard me." Lucas said without missing a beat, "Maya's out of your league. She'd never sink so low as to hook up with a douche bag like you."

The guy's eyes narrowed, and he turned around completely, sizing Lucas up with a lip curled in annoyance.

"Yeah?" he said, jabbing his shoulder roughly, "And what's gonna stop me from just doing her anyway?"

The smile instantly dropped from Lucas' face and his expression darkened dangerously. The friend yelped, backing away from the two males squaring off.

"Do you really want to go down this route?" Lucas growled lowly, teeth grit. "Why don't you just back the fuck off. We can go our separate ways, and you won't have to get hurt."

"You really think you can go toe to toe with me, pretty boy?"

Lucas rose a menacing eyebrow in challenge, nonchalantly cracking his neck.

"Why don't we find out?"

~.~.~

Maya looked up at Lucas in annoyance as he jogged over to her with an apologetic look on his face.

"Where the hell were you, Huckleberry?"

"Just… cleaning up some trash." Lucas said, a wry smile forming on his lips.

"You said you were going to go grab an extra jacket for me!"

He winced. "Sorry, Maya. I forgot."

"I'm cold." She whined, rubbing her hands together rapidly to try to get some of the feeling back. "How are you going to make it up to me?"

Lucas smiled fondly at her while she frowned at him. She looked so incredibly cute with her nose and cheeks painted red from the cold that he couldn't take her irritation seriously.

"I'll treat you to some hot chocolate." He said, hooking his fingers into the belt loops of her jeans and pulling her into a loose hug to warm her up.

"Not enough." she mumbled into his chest, blowing hot air into her hands to try to heat them up faster.

"Free massages for a week?"

"Hmm…" she hummed, craning her neck up and giving him a playful smirk. "Still doesn't seem like enough to me, Ranger Rick."

"I'll write your next psych paper for you?"

"Now we're talking."

He chuckled and wrapped an arm around her shoulders, hugging her to his side as they made their way away from the campus quad.

Yes, Maya Hart _was_ single, but she was most definitely taken.


	13. My Huckleberry

**Alright. This chapter was long overdue. And then xXstaticdragonXx's request for a Riley POV after this :)  
**

 **Enjoy! Thank you for the reviews everyone! I appreciate all of them! Every single one! :D**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own GMW.**

* * *

 **Title: My Huckleberry  
Pairings&Characters: Lucas, Maya, Lucaya  
Genre: Romance, WAFF/Angst (Wangst), Hurt/Comfort, ****AU  
Rating: K+ for Knotting Stomachs  
Summary: Because he's your Huckleberry.  
**

 **Sequel to My Hart. Still trying my hand at 2nd POV.**

* * *

You walk down the aisle accompanied by Cory on your left, blubbering about giving you away. You see faces you recognize through your veil—some that you don't—all here to see you get married. Your estranged grandparents. Your soon-to-be's family and friends. Your father with his children. Your mother. Your friends. Riley sniffling violently at the front. Your soon-to-be standing in awe at the altar.

And you see _him_.

Seated in the front row, watching you like you are the apple of his eye. And when Cory removes your veil and you meet his eyes, you just know it's tearing you both apart to be like this. You can't help but think that this is wrong. In your mind's eye, _h_ _e_ was supposed to be the one at the altar, waiting for you to climb the steps. _He_ was the one who you were supposed to be with for the rest of your life.

And you feel your stomach knotting unbearably, because this has become all too real.

You love him.

You still love him.

And you've never stopped loving him.

Not even when your relationship crumbled to pieces.

Not even when you both gave up.

Not even when you reconciled with your groom.

Not even when things got serious with your groom.

Not even when he gave you his blessing to move on.

You've never once gotten over him.

And you get a little mad, because you know why he did it. Because he was jealous. Because he was angry at both himself and you for not working things out when you had the chance. But you know somewhere deep down, he was also trying to be selfless and wanted you to be happy. It annoys you to no end how he could be so stubborn and sacrifice his own happiness for you. It bothers you. Because he never had been able to tell that you are your happiest when you're with him.

You won't be able to go through with this. Because he's your Huckleberry. Because he's the love of your life. And he's always _had_ your heart and he always _will_ have your heart, no matter where you are or who you are with.

And you know if you leave this be, you'll spend the rest of your life dreaming about the one that got away. You'll spend every single day for the rest of your _miserable_ life living with the regret and heartache that you lost the love of your life because you were too stupid and too scared to tell him you still loved him. Because you were too stupid to recognize how much he completes you. How much you _need_ him.

And you know what you have to do.

So you climb those steps to your groom, smiling remorsefully, because this will hurt him, and he's been nothing but sweet to you. And when the priest says "speak now or forever hold your peace", you prepare to end things officially. You know you'll face the wrath of several in the room and some people will never speak to you again, but you want to be selfish for once and take what you want. And what you want is _him_.

But he beats you to the chase.

You see him stand in the audience, eyes determined and expression resolved and anxious. And you know your heart is beating erratically in your chest, hoping that he will say those precious words you've been waiting to hear from him since that day you told him you were engaged.

And he does.

He says:

"I object."

And the crowd is ruffled and outraged and some are throwing him disgusted glares and watching him like he's trying to ruin something good.

He doesn't say anything else. He doesn't have to say anything else because you knew you were still his as soon as you first saw him in his seat, watching you with warmth and affection. Regret. Guilt. Sadness. _Longing_. The same things you know have been on your face since you walked into the chapel.

So you turn to your almost-husband apologetically. He watches you quietly, those somber blue eyes knowing exactly what is hidden in the depths of your gaze. But he smiles in understanding and kisses your forehead gently, letting you go. You toss your bouquet at Riley and race down the steps.

You ignore the shocked wails.

You ignore the disgusted stares.

You ignore the disappointed glares.

You ignore the outraged gawking.

All you focus on is the tenderness in the sea-foam eyes as he steps into the aisle to meet you halfway.

You take his outstretched hand.

And you run.


	14. Trial and Error

**I'm not really sure if I ship Riley with Farkle or Zay to be honest... (I actually ship Riley with _Billy_ over both of them for some reason lol. And I ship her with Brandon too. The goofy, ditzy, adorkable girl with the brooding, mostly silent rebel with a heart of gold? Mmm yes please. Like I can actually see her chattering excitedly about something acting like her doofy self and he's just watching her and nodding and then she blushes and is like 'What?' and he's all like 'You're cute.')  
**

 **Enjoy! Thanks for the support everyone! It means a lot to me :D**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own GMW.**

* * *

 **Title: Trial And Error  
Pairings&Characters: Riley, Lucaya  
Genre: Romance, Angst, Humor, ****AU  
Rating: T for ... that's a truce? Huh?  
Summary: They have a system. Don't mess with the system.  
**

 **Same universe as Here We Go Again. (The prequel to be exact)  
**

 **Riley's POV in this universe, as requested by xXstaticdragonXx! :)  
**

 **Inspired by Maman actually, who gets very anxious about her favourite couples.**

* * *

Riley liked to think her life was one awesome, giant TV show complete with an outlandish family and a bunch of wild and kooky characters and incidents to fill it up. She was the quirky and absolutely adorkable lead and Maya was her badass best friend and partner in crime. (Between Zay and Farkle, she wasn't really sure who her love interest was anymore, but that didn't matter to her at the moment, because she wasn't really sure what she was looking for.)

And in every TV show Riley watched, she had her special ships and her OTPs. Including in her own, which she had aptly named 'The Not So, But Totally Spectacular Life of Riley Matthews. (Or maybe she would name it… Girl Meets World? She personally liked the first one better).

There was obviously her mom and dad, her original OTP and the one she'd grown up watching and would get to see for the rest of her life. Auggie and Ava, now that they were a little older and just the cutest little couple, were quickly rising up the ranks and probably would be an OTP in the future. And an OTP she knew had potential was her biology teacher and the school librarian. They had so much in common, but they'd never sat down and had a real conversation before. She was working on it though…

But her biggest OTP, the one that she shipped wholeheartedly and was borderline obsessed with were her best friends: Lucas and Maya. They had started out as just a cute little _friend_ ship for her when they would bicker in the hallways about how Maya never turned in her homework or projects. They weren't a couple she saw as being OTP material at the time. But as their high school years had gone by, to Riley, they had started to build and have more potential and before she knew it, _bam_ , OTP.

She didn't understand why Maya and Lucas couldn't see what they had with the other or how much chemistry they had or how whenever they talked, the whole world around them seemed to evaporate. Everyone and their grandma knew that they were destined to be together. And Riley knew in The Not So, But Totally Spectacular Life of Riley Matthews, it would simply be _criminal_ for the two oblivious teens to not couple up. And as the star of her show, she had to fix it. So as a meddler, it had been her job to try to help them realize they wanted to be together.

So she observed.

And noticed Lucas always rolling his eyes in annoyance whenever Maya chattered about Riley's uncle. And noticed how Maya would get irritated when Lucas' fangirls flirted with him and tried to see if they could be the lucky one who he would fall for.

(Those girls were silly. Lucas was in love with Maya and Riley would die before she let anyone come in the way of her OTP!)

Riley came to realize Maya had feelings for Lucas. And that Lucas had fallen for Maya. It became even more apparent when Lucas kissed Maya to help Maya try to make Josh jealous, but had gotten carried away and completely forgotten what the original purpose of the kiss was supposed to be.

So naturally, come junior year, after several semesters of them dating other people, only to break up with them (because they knew they were looking for each other!) and being annoyingly, obviously in love with each other, Riley had had enough. It was time for her OTP to become a canon couple in her world.

It had been a simple and genius plan.

(She'd locked them in a closet during a party when they wouldn't stop bickering and making everyone else feel uncomfortable with their errant and unresolved sexual tension and told them to release the tension. Seriously. Their UST was so thick it kept jabbing people in the eyes! She'd done the world a favor!)

And by the end of the night, Lucas and Maya had left together, and Riley knew she had succeeded.

Her biggest OTP was officially canon!

So Riley enjoyed her OTPs. And anytime she saw prospective ones, she made it her mission to make sure they had a shot.

But one thing she could not stand were when her OTPs had troubles in paradise.

And Lucas and Maya, though they had finally gotten together, had _plenty_ of unresolved troubles and tensions. Farkle had told her it was because she had forced them together before they were ready to be a couple.

(Riley refused to be held accountable for being a dreamer who wanted to see her OTP thrive!)

The first explosive fight that Riley had ever experienced that shook her OTP world was at lunch one day about Maya not trusting him enough. Lucas had said something harsh to her when she refused to change her stance on their relationship. But after Maya stormed out before he could finish talking, Lucas had gone after her. Riley thought that was the end of her OTP. But the next class period, they'd come in holding hands and looking content (and a little disheveled, but she didn't pay attention to that because her OTP had survived).

The second yelling match had actually been in the middle of one class about something Riley couldn't even remember but knew it had been stupid. The teacher had kicked them out of class and told them not to come back until they stopped disrupting his lecture. Once again, she'd chewed her fingernails in worry that her favourite couple would be calling it quits. But they'd stopped by her house to chill that afternoon and were cuddling on the couch and sharing little kisses and all was well with their world. And her own, because her OTP was still going strong.

"Did it ever occur to you that you're wrong about this, Maya?!"

"Did it ever occur to you that I don't care?!"

But on their fifth yelling match that month alone, Riley had enough of the arguments and the storming off and the ridiculousness of the entire thing. She was going to resolve this one herself.

She'd gotten her OTP together. And by golly she was going to make sure they stayed that way.

"Can you listen for once and just let me explain?"

"Why? So you can continue to berate me for shit?"

So she brought up Maya's old crush on Josh during that argument while they were studying at Topanga's, because she felt this was something that had to be addressed since it seemed like something that was always dangling over their heads.

And that was a mistake.

The argument intensified. A lot. To the point where they were standing beside the table, Lucas snarling at Maya, and Maya's hand curled threateningly around his collar.

"I've had it with your constant bitching! The only reason we're having problems is because you won't shut up!"

"You think you're not a part of this problem?!"

"I bet if I were dating Josh, he wouldn't be such a pain in the ass!"

There was a sudden resounding and terrible silence. So loud and abrupt that Riley's fork clattered out of her fingers, and she stared at the two of them in shock. Maya looked scared and surprised, like she hadn't meant for those words to come out of her mouth. And Lucas looked unbelievably hurt, like someone had just stuck a knife in his chest.

"…You know what? I'm done."

He removed her hand from his collar and left, and Maya just stood there, chewing her lip in worry and unsure what to do. She started to turn around to go after him, but Riley stopped her.

"Maya, you should probably give him some space to think about things…"

"He sounded serious…" she said in a small voice, still looking in the direction he had left.

"Well, you did say something pretty bad. It'll blow over eventually. Just give him some time."

And Maya sat down and continued studying with Riley, every couple of seconds looking up at the doorway in worry. Riley wasn't worried though. Their fights had always ended fairly quickly in the past. She had no doubt that before long, they would be back to normal.

But see, what Riley didn't know, was that in pushing Maya to give Lucas space she had unknowingly jarred a subtle—but very necessary—step for resolving their issues.

So when Riley came back from spring break in Paris and found out Lucas and Maya still weren't together anymore, The Not So, But Totally Spectacular Life of Riley Matthews almost shattered to pieces. It was outrageous! Ratings would plummet! People would revolt! There would be mobs with pitchforks and torches!

Riley had thought maybe she was just imagining things but neither made any attempts to fix it up. They wouldn't talk to each other, and it seemed like there was something missing in both their lives. But when she would ask either of them, Lucas would say Maya didn't want him. And Maya would say Lucas didn't want her.

And Riley couldn't have _the_ OTP (she was pretty sure by this point, everyone in the school considered them OTP) be broken up. She made a plan that she set in motion when her parents took Auggie to spend the weekend at her grandparent's house.

She texted Lucas that Maya wanted to apologize. And texted Maya that Lucas wanted to apologize. That seemed to always work in those chick flicks.

It was a total failure.

(She was going to _sue_ someone for messing with her highly impressionable, young mind!)

Within seconds, they both figured out she set them up. Maya had her arms crossed against her chest, stubbornly facing the opposite wall, and Lucas was sitting on Riley's couch, not interested in talking to Maya in the least.

But at least it had gotten them in the same room.

So Riley pushed Maya in front of him to talk to Lucas and urged Lucas to talk to her and left quickly to grab her feelings stick that her mother gave her to deal with her emotions whenever she and Auggie had arguments.

Riley ran back to the living room to try to make this feelings and emotions thing go on its way. She was going to solve this issue no matter what. She _would_ get her OTP back together that night!

And her eyes nearly popped out of her skull.

Because Maya was straddling Lucas' lap cradling his face in her hands while Lucas was holding her tightly to him, like he'd been deprived of her for so long. And they were kissing almost frantically and urgently, as if apologizing with their hands and lips and tongues and _oh god eww…_

And Riley suddenly got it.

She finally realized why they always ran after each other when the fight reached its climax.

Lucas and Maya had a _system_. A system that, as strange as it was, _worked_. One that they needed in order to find catharsis. A primal, physical need to go along with their vitriol in order to assure themselves both that they still cared for each other a lot.

The Not So, But Totally Spectacular Life of Riley Matthews was saved!

And Riley gushed and _aww_ ed, smiling widely because her OTP was just so stupidly complicated and cute.

Until Maya gasped breathlessly when Lucas moved lower, trailing wet, filthy open-mouthed kisses down the sensitive skin of her neck.

And Riley quietly turned around, red faced and flustered. She locked herself in her room, shoved her head under her pillow, and blasted her music at top volume, trying _not_ to think about what was going on in her living room.

And so, recapping her day in her diary that evening, Riley learned some pretty valuable lessons:

First: Lucas and Maya were always going to have ridiculous heated arguments so there was no need to get so anxious over them anymore. It _was_ what made her OTP so naturally them afterall.

Second: Lucas and Maya fights were the _best_ way they diffused their tension, and getting in the way of said fights would make things infinitely worse. It was best to leave them to resolve it through their system.

Third: Lucas and Maya had a three step system to their fights. The crescendo, the climax, and the closure.

And the final one that she would make sure to impart on everyone for the coming years for their own safety?

As soon as Lucas or Maya reached the climax, i.e, the storming off or the sudden quieting? _Scram_.


	15. Playing With Fire

**A/N: I got a PM asking if I was scared about Lucaya probably never happening and wanted to share my answer. Umm, here's the easy answer: no. Because maybe I'm delusional or something, but I can't help but feel like Lucaya was always planned to happen from the start... For two reasons: One, when they assembled the actors and they all met, I'm sure the crew/writers must have picked up on or recognized the pretty substantial chemistry/camaraderie between Sabrina and Peyton. If I were a writer, I would use the natural chemistry actors have to translate that into a convincing relationship between characters on screen... (And writers are usually very smart about it which is why so many best friend couples keep happening on Disney shows) That's just me being a weird nut, but it makes sense. Ex: The Sabrina/Rowan natural chemistry is translated on screen into an extremely beautiful and close best friendship between Riley and Maya. I don't think these writers would let all that Lucaya potential go to waste IMO...  
**

 **And second, look at the way Lucaya's relationship is slowly growing. It's a pattern. They start out as tentative friends, she teases, he teases back. It's a game. Said teasing results in some issues as time goes on, they get into small arguments, their friendship grows. They have more heartfelt conversations as time goes on, thus adding substance to their relationship aside from just teasing. They become closer friends who can understand the other well. Learn more about each other and each other's lives. Teasing becomes subtle flirting. The game starts to change. Where do you think I'm going with this? They're a _slow slow gradual_ build, but to me, it's looking like the writers are building up Lucaya into something seriously intense in the future. I can't help but feel like given time, Lucaya will develop into a pretty spectacular couple (with Riley being the force between them that tries to get them together at all costs of course).  
**

 **Those are my delusions lol, but I believe them anyway.**

 **Sorry! Rant over! I promise it won't happen again! ^_^ Here's some RAUNCH to make up for it ;)**

 **Enjoy! Thank you for the reviews! You guys are the best! :D  
**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own GMW.**

* * *

 **Title: Playing With Fire  
Pairings&Characters: Lucaya  
** **Genre: Romance, Humor, Angst, AU  
Rating: Mid-High T for Trading Blows  
Summary: A dressing room. A red dress. And _payback_. **

**Sequel to All In. Lol I have lots of these ones guys ;)**

 **Clarification: In this universe, they are not together.**

* * *

Lucas looked like he'd had enough. He was watching her with narrowed eyes, smirk gone from his face completely. Her eyes widened when he walked towards her, backing her up against the wall, arms forming a cage on either side of her head. Maya stared up at him, a little surprised by how forward he was being. He had effectively boxed her in, her vision of everything past him blocked.

"You're right." He whispered.

Sinfully slow, his hands trailed down her body and took hold of her wrists. He transferred them both into one hand and lifted her arms up, pinning them above her head. Maya's breath caught momentarily at the action and despite willing herself not to, she couldn't help but feel that spark of attraction, that sudden excited thrill that ran straight down her back and pooled between her legs.

Shit. She was getting really turned on.

He leaned into her, pressing himself against her body until his lips were right up against her ear.

"There really isn't a need to play fair…"

~ _Earlier that afternoon~_

"How does this one look?" Maya asked Lucas, twirling around in the royal blue maxi dress, letting it swish around her legs.

"You look fine…" he said in a bored tone, watching her with thinly veiled irritation, "This dress looks the exact same as the other four you just tried on."

"Nuh uh." She said with a smirk, posing obnoxiously, " _This_ one is royal blue."

He growled under his breath and rolled his eyes, leaning against the wall with crossed arms.

"Can you hurry it up?"

"No way, Huckleberry. I need to find the perfect dress for the banquet."

Maya had been the recipient for some prestigious art award on campus and had been invited to a banquet in about a month for nominees and previous winners. Naturally, it had made sense to her to buy a new outfit for the event. But since Riley hadn't been available to go dress shopping with her, she'd called Lucas to help her choose a dress.

At least, that's what it had started as.

A simple request to find the perfect outfit for the award ceremony.

But it quickly became a ploy to tease him with all the dresses and force him to sit through it, mostly for her own enjoyment, because she _loved_ seeing him uncomfortable. The idea that he could look but couldn't touch was such a thrill for her. And maybe Riley was right that she was taking the game a little too far, but it wasn't like Lucas would react.

There was that one time when they were drunk and played strip poker, and he had gotten pretty intense and had come on to her really strong, but he was _drunk_. She doubted he would try anything when they were sober and in a women's clothing store. And even if he did, he was too much of a gentleman to take it too far. It was a gamble she was willing to make.

And besides, what was wrong with having a little fun?

"One more dress, okay?"

He groaned and rubbed his neck tiredly, checking the watch on his wrist. "Maya, that's what you said about the last three. We've been here for three hours. Let's wrap it up."

"I promise this is the last one."

He narrowed his eyes at her. "Fine."

She smiled widely and stepped back into her dressing room, closing the curtain and sliding off the appropriate and very conservative dress and placing it back onto the hanger. Then she grabbed the last dress she had picked out and shimmied into it slowly, excitement coursing through her veins. She unclipped her bra from the back and slipped it down her body before letting it drop to her ankles. And just for fun, she pulled down her panties and let them rest near her bra as well.

The dangerous, tiny crimson number fit her form without flaw, accentuating the curve of her waistline and molding to her hips and ass beautifully. It perfectly complimented her feminine shape, stopping just past her upper thighs and leaving not much to the imagination. A killer dress, really.

She took a picture with her phone and observed herself, quite pleased with what she saw. She would never buy the dress—she couldn't afford it even if she worked extra shifts for a month—but she loved the way it made her feel sexy and devious. Sort of like a vixen or dominatrix.

And it gave her a really good idea.

Kind of bitchy.

But _really_ good.

"Hey Ranger Rick. Help me zip up this dress, would ya?" she called out, faking a slightly distressed tone.

She heard his heavy sigh and grumbles of annoyance before his footsteps approached the curtain. He pulled it open and then shut it, and then she heard his sharp intake of breath behind her. She bit her lip to keep from snickering at his reaction and glanced at him over her shoulder, smiling coquettishly.

"I can't reach the zipper." She purred.

She saw his eyes drop momentarily to the floor where her undergarments lay before he looked back up at her, his jaw clenched tightly. He stared at her, his breathing not altogether light, and his eyes narrowed dangerously.

She chuckled, "Hurry it up, Hopalong. We don't have all day, do we?"

He walked over to her silently and took hold of the zipper, slowly dragging it up her back, his other hand settled on her waist. He tugged the zipper up as far as it could go and then trailed his hand down her side, loosely holding her waist. Maya grinned, loving the hold she had over him. It was such a shame there weren't any mirrors in this dressing room. She would have loved to see his expression.

"What do you think, Sundance?"

She spun around in his arms and posed for him, tangling her hands in her hair with flirtatious, raised eyebrows.

"I think…" Lucas' hands slowly trailed off of her waist. "That you like playing this game a little too much."

"Do I?"

Her heart raced in excitement when the answering look he gave her was downright _indecent_.

"Calling a guy into your dressing room. Asking him to zip up your dress. Not wearing a bra or underwear. You're not playing fair, Maya."

"Who said this had to be fair?"

And then Lucas' eyes glinted with something a little sharp and definitely dangerous, and Maya grew a little anxious, thinking maybe she had pushed just a bit too far. She was suddenly reminded of Riley's warning words about baiting Lucas. 'If you play with fire, you'll get burned Maya' she had said.

Lucas looked like he'd had enough. He was watching her with narrowed eyes, smirk gone from his face completely. Her eyes widened when he walked towards her, backing her up against the wall, arms forming a cage on either side of her head. Maya stared up at him, a little surprised by how forward he was being. He had effectively boxed her in, her vision of everything past him blocked.

"You're right." He whispered.

Sinfully slow, his hands trailed down her body and took hold of her wrists. He transferred them both into one hand and lifted her arms up, pinning them above her head. Maya's breath caught momentarily at the action and despite willing herself not to, she couldn't help but feel that spark of attraction, that sudden excited thrill that ran straight down her back and pooled between her legs.

Shit. She was getting really turned on.

He leaned into her, pressing himself against her body until his lips were right up against her ear.

"There really isn't a need to play fair…"

And Maya felt an involuntary shiver of delight run down her back when she could feel his warm breath tickling her ear. His hand slid down one bare thigh before curling his hand under it and hiking it up against his hip. Maya could feel his slight arousal, and her breath hitched.

"What are you doing, Lucas?" she almost groaned, testing her trapped arms.

No good. He had a pretty strong grip on them, and it didn't look like he would be letting go any time soon.

"Let's just say this is a little payback for that stunt you pulled when we played poker."

He growled it against her neck in a low, sexy voice she had never before heard in all the time she'd known him. It was such an insane turn on she had to close her eyes momentarily to regain control of herself. Who the hell was this Lucas, and what happened to the easily baited one she'd been hanging out with all afternoon?

"Are you seriously still worked up over that?" she sighed softly, tilting her neck to the side when he blew out a breath against her neck. She got goosebumps almost immediately.

"Maybe…" he said teasingly.

Lucas was barely touching her, just grazing her neck with his lips, and it was driving her _crazy_. His hand was gripping her leg, fingers lightly caressing her sensitive inner thigh, and Maya had to fight the urge to moan out loud. He was being such a tease, and she hated it because she just wanted him to kiss her or touch her or _anything_ but he kept stopping right at the edge she wanted him to go over. And she knew that he knew that if he did, nothing would stop her from letting him have his way with her in the dressing room, regardless of who could possibly hear.

"Lucas…" she sighed breathlessly when his fingernails dug a little into her leg. "Come on."

He leaned back a bit, watching her impassively. "What do you want me to do, Maya?"

"Just shut up and kiss me already."

The expression in his eyes darkened, and he leaned closer, gaze trained on her lips.

"That's what you want?" he muttered, his breath caressing her lips.

She glared up at him, gritting her teeth in annoyance.

"I don't understand glares, Maya…"

"Yes you dumbass. I want you to kiss me."

He smiled triumphantly. Then he leaned completely in and spoke directly into her ear.

"That's … too bad."

And he let go of her abruptly, taking a wide step back as Maya blinked up at him in a shocked daze, slowly coming back to reality when her hands came down by her sides, and she realized she couldn't feel the warmth from his body any longer. His mouth was curved up into a vile, mocking little smirk, and Maya felt her blood run cold.

"You should get the red dress. It looks great on you." He pointed out appreciatively. And then he turned around, pocketing her panties and heading out. "You should hurry up and change."

There was no way. Absolutely no way. He did not just pull some seduction shit on her and leave her a trembling, fucking mess. And when the hell had he gotten her panties?!

How dare he…

"You just fucked with the wrong person, Huckleberry!" Maya shouted. "This means war!"

"Looking forward to it, Shortstack." Lucas responded easily, ignoring other patron's shocked gasps as he walked out of Maya's dressing room. "Looking forward to it."


	16. Advice

**I have so many one-shots and requests on queue! I will be getting to them all eventually, I promise. But there's a certain order to which I'm trying to update these, so some of the requests might not be addressed until later. Just know that I _did_ see it and I _will_ try to write it as soon and as best as I can.  
**

 **Here's something stupid I wrote while trying to study.**

 **Enjoy! Thank you for taking the time to review! :D  
**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own GMW.**

* * *

 **Title: Advice I  
Pairings&Characters: Cory, Lucas  
** **Genre: Friendship, Humor (meh...), AU  
Rating: K+ for ...Kinda need your help  
Summary: Lucas texts Cory for advice.  
**

 **Background: Over the years, somewhere between random texts to figure out homework for the night and advice on how to get through hardships and milestones in life, a texting friendship slowly developed between Cory Matthews and Lucas Friar.**

 **A/N: I have this headcanon that Lucas will start texting Cory about random things and as the years go by, he becomes Lucas' go to whenever he needs advice.**

 **Format for the text messages inspired by quorra laraex's wmd, emu layout for text messages!  
**

 **(If it gets a little confusing or messed up, believe me, I had no idea what the hell I was doing...)**

* * *

 **To: Cory  
** **From: Lucas Friar  
**

Sir, I know I graduated from your class almost three years ago, but if you would be so kind, I really need your incredible advice, your excellent guidance, and your stellar expertise on all things "life".

 **To: Lucas  
** **From: O Captain! My Captain!  
**

You're laying it on a little thick there, Lucas.

 **To: Cory  
** **From: Lucas Friar**

Help.

 **To: Cory  
** **From: Lucas Friar**

Please.

 **To: Lucas  
** **From: O Captain! My Captain!**

What do you need advice for?

 **To: Cory  
** **From: Lucas Friar**

Girls.

 **To: Lucas  
** **From: O Captain! My Captain!**

...

 **To: Lucas  
** **From: O Captain! My Captain!**

You're on your own.

 **To: Cory  
** **From: Lucas Friar**

Sir, seriously. I have no idea what to do, and you're the only man I know who's married and has kept a stable relationship for years.

 **To: Lucas  
** **From: O Captain! My Captain!**

You sure I'm the person to ask? I'm sleeping on the couch this week.

 **To: Cory  
** **From: Lucas Friar**

I'm sorry to hear that, sir. But yes. I still need your advice.

 **To: Lucas  
** **From: O Captain! My Captain!**

Well... Who is this particular girl?

 **To: Cory  
** **From: Lucas Friar**

That's not important.

 **To: Lucas  
** **From: O Captain! My Captain!**

Okay.

 **To: Lucas  
** **From: O Captain! My Captain!**

Do I know her?

 **To: Cory  
** **From: Lucas Friar**

Also not important.

 **To: Lucas  
** **From: O Captain! My Captain!**

Alright Mr. Friar. What's the problem?

 **To: Cory  
** **From: Lucas Friar**

How do you tell someone you like them without telling them you like them when you know they know you like them but don't want to know you like them?

 **To: Lucas  
** **From: O Captain! My Captain!**

Lucas. I don't even know how to start answering that question.

 **To: Cory  
** **From: Lucas Friar**

I can't tell this girl I like her! But I really like her.

 **To: Lucas  
** **From: O Captain! My Captain!**

Why can't you tell her?

 **To: Cory  
** **From: Lucas Friar**

Because she threatened me.

 **To: Lucas  
** **From: O Captain! My Captain!**

She threatened you?

 **To: Cory  
** **From: Lucas Friar**

She told me if I fell for her, she'd kick my ass.

 **To: Lucas  
** **From: O Captain! My Captain!**

Okay, so this anonymous girl threatened to kick your butt if you fell for her?

 **To: Cory  
** **From: Lucas Friar**

Yes sir.

 **To: Lucas  
** **From: O Captain! My Captain!**

How on earth did that even happen?

 **To: Cory  
** **From: Lucas Friar**

Well sir, we had a project for a class to live the life of our partners for a whole week.

 **To: Cory  
** **From: Lucas Friar**

So we had to spend several hours with them each day.

 **To: Lucas  
** **From: O Captain! My Captain!**

That sounds like an excellent project.

 **To: Lucas  
** **From: O Captain! My Captain!**

I'm assuming this anonymous girl was your partner?

 **To: Cory  
** **From: Lucas Friar**

Unfortunately.

 **To: Lucas  
** **From: O Captain! My Captain!**

You don't sound too stoked.

 **To: Cory  
** **From: Lucas Friar**

I wasn't. Her outlook on life is… interesting.

 **To: Cory  
** **From: Lucas Friar**

But that wasn't the problem.

 **To: Lucas  
** **From: O Captain! My Captain!**

Well what was?

 **To: Cory  
** **From: Lucas Friar**

You see, I learned more about her life and realized we have a lot more in common than I thought.

 **To: Lucas  
** **From: O Captain! My Captain!**

That's excellent. Then the purpose of the project worked out very well.

 **To: Cory  
** **From: Lucas Friar**

Yeah.

 **To: Cory  
** **From: Lucas Friar**

Until I kissed her.

 **To: Lucas  
** **From: O Captain! My Captain!**

Oh boy.

 **To: Lucas  
** **From: O Captain! My Captain!**

How did she respond to said kiss?

 **To: Cory  
** **From: Lucas Friar**

She kicked me sir.

 **To: Lucas  
** **From: O Captain! My Captain!**

Where the sun don't shine?

 **To: Cory  
** **From: Lucas Friar**

Sadly, yes.

 **To: Lucas  
** **From: O Captain! My Captain!**

I'm sorry, Lucas. That sounds terrible.

 **To: Cory  
** **From: Lucas Friar**

It was.

 **To: Lucas  
** **From: O Captain! My Captain!**

Alright, so this "anonymous" girl kicked you.

 **To: Lucas  
** **From: O Captain! My Captain!**

What did you do next?

 **To: Cory  
** **From: Lucas Friar**

I told her it didn't mean anything.

 **To: Lucas  
** **From: O Captain! My Captain!**

...

 **To: Lucas  
** **From: O Captain! My Captain!**

So let me get this straight: you kissed the girl.

 **To: Lucas  
** **From: O Captain! My Captain!**

She kicked you.

 **To: Lucas  
** **From: O Captain! My Captain!**

So you told her it didn't mean anything?

 **To: Cory  
** **From: Lucas Fuckboi Friar**

...

 **To: Cory  
** **From: Lucas Fuckboi Friar**

Well when you put it that way, it sounds worse.

 **To: Lucas  
** **From: O Captain! My Captain!**

Are you still in one piece?

 **To: Cory  
** **From: Lucas Fuckboi Friar**

I'm fine. She didn't believe me anyway.

 **To: Lucas  
** **From: O Captain! My Captain!**

So what happened after that?

 **To: Cory  
** **From: Lucas Fuckboi Friar**

She threatened me.

 **To: Cory  
** **From: Lucas Fuckboi Friar**

Told me if I fell for her, she wouldn't forgive me.

 **To: Lucas  
** **From: O Captain! My Captain!**

Why did she say that?

 **To: Cory  
** **From: Lucas Fuckboi Friar**

She kept saying I wasn't supposed to be with her. That I'm supposed to be with someone else.

 **To: Lucas  
** **From: O Captain! My Captain!**

Now correct me if I'm wrong, Lucas.

 **To: Lucas  
** **From: O Captain! My Captain!**

But this girl who kicked you...

 **To: Lucas  
** **From: O Captain! My Captain!**

Does she happen to be a pint sized blonde with sharp eyes and an even sharper tongue?

 **To: Cory  
** **From: Lucas Fuckboi Friar  
**

...

 **To: Cory  
** **From: Lucas Fuckboi Friar  
**

If I answer in the affirmative, will you be coming after me?

 **To: Lucas  
** **From: O Captain! My Captain!**

...

 **To: Lucas  
** **From: O Captain! My Captain!**

There is a possibility I might try to find you in the halls of your school.

 **To: Cory  
** **From: Punk**

Then no sir.

 **To: Cory  
** **From: Punk**

That is not the girl.

 **To: Lucas  
** **From: Terminator**

Good answer.

 **To: Lucas  
** **From: Terminator**

Whoever this girl is, she has been struggling with her self-worth for years thinking she has to put the needs of everyone else before her own.

 **To: Lucas  
** **From: Terminator**

You need to tread carefully.

 **To: Cory  
** **From: Punk**

Why doesn't she think she deserves to be happy?

 **To: Lucas  
** **From: Terminator**

I honestly don't know. I've been trying to figure it out for years.

 **To: Cory  
** **From: Punk**

...

 **To: Cory  
** **From: Punk**

She deserves the world.

 **To: Lucas  
** **From: Terminator  
**

I know she does.

 **To: Cory  
** **From: Punk**

I want to give her the world.

 **To: Lucas  
** **From: Terminator**

Is that so.

 **To: Cory  
** **From: Lucas Friar  
**

How do I prove to her I'm sincere?

 **To: Cory  
** **From: Lucas Friar**

How do I make her believe that I've moved on?

 **To: Cory  
** **From: Lucas Friar**

That we've ALL moved on and it's time for her to move on too.

 **To: Lucas  
** **From: Terminator**

Well...

 **To: Lucas  
** **From: Terminator**

You can start by telling her you like her.

 **To: Lucas  
** **From: Terminator**

Every day.

 **To: Lucas  
** **From: Terminator**

Each day in a different way until she starts to accept the fact that it's true.

 **To: Cory  
** **From: Lucas Friar**

I won't have any limbs left by the end of the week, sir.

 **To: Lucas  
** **From: Terminator**

That's a risk you have to be willing to take.

 **To: Lucas  
** **From: Terminator**

How important is she to you?

 **To: Cory  
** **From: Lucas Friar**

She's my missing other half.

 **To: Lucas  
** **From: Terminator**

Then you need to treat this situation as if you're trying to get back that other half.

 **To: Lucas  
** **From: Terminator**

If that means wearing a protective cup for the rest of the week, then so be it.

 **To: Cory  
** **From: Lucas Friar**

You're right, sir.

 **To: Lucas  
** **From: Terminator**

Do you think your chances for success will be high?

 **To: Cory  
** **From: Lucas Friar**

It's hard to tell...

 **To: Cory  
** **From: Lucas Friar**

She's not really talking to me right now.

 **To: Lucas  
** **From: Terminator**

Out of curiosity, how did she respond when you kissed her?

 **To: Cory  
** **From: Lucas Friar**

She kissed me back.

 **To: Cory  
** **From: Punk!**

And then she shoved me and kicked me where it hurts.

 **To: Lucas  
** **From: Terminator**

But she kissed you back.

 **To: Lucas  
** **From: Terminator**

I'd say that's a good enough sign. If you play your cards right, it might just work out.

 **To: Cory  
** **From: Punk!**

And if everything crashes and burns?

 **To: Lucas  
** **From: Terminator**

...

 **To: Lucas  
** **From: Terminator**

I'll take you out for ice cream?

 **To: Cory  
** **From: Punk!**

Much appreciated, sir -_-;

 **To: Lucas  
** **From: Terminator**

Can I help you with anything else?

 **To: Cory  
** **From: Punk!**

I think I'm good. Thank you, sir.

 **To: Cory  
** **From: Punk!**

And whatever you did to get you on the couch, I think you should just apologize.

 **To: Lucas  
** **From: Terminator**

You dare give me relationship advice when you're going around telling the girl you like a kiss was a mistake?

 **To: Cory  
** **From: Punk!**

Fair enough sir. I hope you enjoy your couch.

 **To: Lucas  
** **From: Terminator**

...

 **To: Lucas  
** **From: Terminator**

I'm scared to apologize.

 **To: Lucas  
** **From: Terminator**

She's got a frying pan!

 **To: Cory  
** **From: Punk!**

Learn to duck and cover sir.

 **To: Lucas  
** **From: Terminator(?)  
**

Easier said than done!

 **To: Lucas  
** **From: Terminator** **(?)**

Her aim is spot on.

 **To: Cory  
** **From: Punk!**

Maybe you're just too slow, sir.

 **To: Lucas  
** **From: Terminator** **(?)**

...

 **To: Lucas  
** **From: Terminator** **(?)**

I was your teacher for years. Whose side are you on anyway?

 **To: Cory  
** **From: Punk!**

Well... Between your scary wife and you?

 **To: Cory  
** **From: Punk!**

Your dangerous and very scary wife, sir.

 **To: Lucas  
** **From: Terminator** **(?)**

...

 **To: Lucas  
** **From: Terminator** **(?)**

Point taken.

 **To: Lucas  
** **From: Terminator** **(?)**

Alright Mr. Friar. Good luck to you tomorrow.

 **To: Cory  
** **From: Punk!**

Thank you sir. You too.

 **To: Lucas  
** **From: Terminator** **(?)**

You let me know how it goes.

 **To: Cory  
** **From: Punk!**

I will.


	17. Stuck

**Lol Lucas as a pervert towards Maya though... Makes me laugh...  
**

 **Enjoy! Thank you for the reviews and comments! Means a lot! :D  
**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own GMW.**

* * *

 **Title: Stuck  
Pairings&Characters: Lucas, Maya, Lucaya  
** **Genre: Romance, Friendship, Humor, Hurt/Comfort, AU  
Rating: T for Texan hottie cowboys who piss you the fuck off.  
Summary: Maya gets stuck in an elevator with Lucas  
**

 **This shit took forever to write... I hope you guys enjoy it because I tortured myself with this *sobs*  
**

* * *

...

 _~18:23 24 Dec~_

 _..._

 _"You sure you'll be okay, Maya? We're definitely fine with you joining us for dinner."_

"Riley, trust me. I really don't want to be there when you two lovebirds start playing footsie under the table."

Riley giggled on the other line, the sound of her electric razor buzzing in the background of the call.

 _"What are you planning to do tonight then?"_

"I'm going to Jersey to have dinner with my mom."

 _"Isn't Joe going to be there?"_ Riley asked softly.

"Yeah." Maya growled, "But I can put up with him for Mom. I just don't get why she likes that son of a bitch so much."

Riley sighed. _"Maya, you know my invitation is always open for you. If you want to join us at dinner, just let me know."_

"Thanks Riley. But I'll be fine. I'll talk to you later, alright?"

 _"Okay, Maya. Bye."_

Maya hung up the phone with a sigh and walked to her closet to start getting ready. She usually spent her Christmas holiday with Riley, but that year, Riley had gotten engaged and was spending Christmas with her fiancé, and Maya didn't want to intrude on the lovey dovey couple. And she honestly didn't want to third wheel. So she'd decided to suck it up and go to Christmas Eve dinner with her mom for the first time since she'd gotten married to Joe the Jackass years ago.

Maya absolutely couldn't stand Joe. Chauvinistic, pompous, arrogant, always flashing his damn money around and trying to buy them gifts and buy their love. His little 'I have money' spiel may have had her mother starstruck and in love, but Maya didn't give a crap about it. It was why she was living alone in an apartment instead of Joe's giant mansion in Jersey. Joe had extended an invitation to her to live with them once she finished up her Masters in the coming spring, but she had respectfully declined (with her specific words being 'blow me'). She couldn't stand watching her mom fawn and obsess over him.

 _'C'mon Maya. It's been almost six years since we spent a Christmas together. Stay with us. I promise you'll enjoy yourself.'_

But she had felt a little guilty about avoiding her mother for so long, so she had promised her mother she would come have dinner with them that evening and leave on Christmas morning the following day. She may not have been a fan of Joe, but she loved her mom. And she would do this for her.

"Now what to wear…" she muttered under her breath, perusing the disorganized contents in her closet and piles of her clothes.

She sighed and got to work finding an outfit.

...

 _~19:04 24 Dec~_

...

"Yes Mom. I know Mom!" Maya rolled her eyes, hopping around, trying to tug on her heels as she snatched up her purse and keys. "I know the weather's bad! I'll be fine! Okay– okay I gotta– I have to go! I'll see you soon."

She snapped her phone shut and rushed to turn off appliances and do last minute checks to make sure she had everything she needed. She was already late enough as it was, and she still had to take the damn transit to NJ (she refused to accept Joe's help to send a driver). It was bad enough that she was wearing her pinchy pumps and this stupid red dress she hadn't worn since her undergraduate years. It barely fit her properly anymore and was a little too tight for a "family" dinner, but it was either that, or baggy shirts and sweaters and leggings. And she refused to give Joe a reason to try to shove his stupid loads of money on her.

She rushed out of her apartment, tugging her overnight bag along with her. She had a little less than half an hour before the transit arrived, but she couldn't waste any more time otherwise she would miss it. She hurried to the elevator, pushing the button and letting out a triumphant mental cheer when the doors opened almost immediately. She walked in, pushed the button for the lobby, and checked her phone once more to make sure she was still good on time. She slipped her phone into her purse pocket and leaned against the wall with a tired sigh.

And then she heard it—

"Hold the elevator!"

—a quickly approaching Texan country drawl ringing out from down the hall.

 _"Shit!"_ Maya growled under her breath, jabbing the close door button as hard and fast as she could.

But before the doors shut, the source of the voice ran into the elevator, dragging behind him a suitcase. He was dressed to the nines in a dapper suit and tie and despite being somewhat sweaty from running to the elevator, he still looked like he had just gotten done posing for the cover of GQ.

"Thanks." He said in relief. When he saw it was her standing near the corner of the elevator, a shit eating grin appeared on his face. "Well, well, well… If it isn't Maya Penelope Hart."

She groaned under her breath.

Lucas Friar.

A floormate from down the hall.

She couldn't _stand_ him. Just because he was disgustingly attractive (unfortunately) and in vet school (who cares if he was intelligent and caring) and had the most amazing green eyes she'd ever seen on anyone (not that she noticed or anything), he thought he was hot shit. She could definitely see it in the way he carried himself. A real piece of work.

And yeah, so what, she'd accidentally drunkenly hooked up with him during someone's New Year's Eve celebration party a couple years ago, but she had made it perfectly clear that she had no interest in him whatsoever the morning after (after a couple rounds in the shower, but still…). Yet, that didn't stop him from being overly flirtatious with her. He made her nervous with his stupid sultry gaze, and she didn't like being nervous one bit.

"Urgh. _You_."

"Nice to see you too?" he said with an amused eyebrow raised. "You look beautiful, by the way. Dinner with the fam?"

She pointedly ignored him, pulling out her phone and pretending to text someone, despite the fact there was no service. Anything beat talking to him, especially when he was eyeing her in that intense way as if he wanted to do nothing more than shove her up against the wall and fuck her to oblivion. God this guy was a real pain in the ass…

"Do you mind?" she snapped a glare at him, "You damn pervert."

The doors closed and the elevator began to travel down. She wasn't stoked about having to ride with him to the lobby, but soon enough, she'd be on her way, and she wouldn't have to talk to him the rest of the year.

"A pervert?" Lucas said incredulously, that annoying grin still on his face, "Now what could I have possibly done to be labeled as such, ma'am?"

And she absolutely hated how he never seemed to get deterred by her often ruthless rebuttals of his advances. He made a joke out of everything she said and it made her blood _boil_. When would he get the hint that she just wasn't interested? He wasn't her type in the least. Too pretty boy. Too morally inclined. He probably was the type who came from a cookie-cutter suburban family in Texas. Most likely a Momma's boy. Probably never lived life on the edge.

She grit her teeth, turning to him with eyes blazing with heat, "Stop. Talking. You damn Huckleberry."

He let out a chuckle and it looked like he was gearing up to retort something most likely annoying when the elevator suddenly jolted and shook, coming to an abrupt stop. The lights flickered violently, before cutting off completely and they were thrown in sudden darkness. The air conditioning cut off shortly afterward.

"Fucking hell…" Lucas said under his breath.

Fucking hell indeed.

...

 _~19:12 24 Dec~_

...

"Of all the shit to happen, why this?" Maya growled, brutally punching button after button to see if there would be any response at all.

Thankfully, the emergency lights had kicked in shortly afterward, but it was moot since none of the buttons worked. Not even the emergency button was responsive. And some asshole had ripped out the phone from the elevator and despite the petition that had gone to the landlords to replace the elevator phone, nothing had been done.

"Calm down, Maya." Lucas said from behind her. "It might only be temporary."

She ignored him, jabbing at the buttons, hoping that maybe, just maybe it might kickstart the damn machine and send them moving.

"Maya." He repeated, somewhat irritated.

"What?!" she snapped over her shoulder. "Can't you see that I'm _trying_ to get this stupid thing moving?!"

"You're obviously not doing anything. It doesn't do to get worked up over something like this."

"Maybe you can afford to be chill, but I _can't_ , okay?! I have somewhere to be."

She jabbed at the buttons a little more frantically, trying to hide just how uncomfortable she felt. All she could remember was being locked in that damn closet, the door closing in her face, darkness enclosing all around.

 _Oh god…_

"You think I don't have somewhere to be either?"

Maya took a deep, shaky, shuddering breath, closing her eyes and trying to keep herself from hyperventilating. She practiced her counting exercises, counting backwards from seven hundred by sevens to keep her mind off of—

"Maya, are you claustrophobic?"

—the fact that she felt like the walls were closing in on her.

She swallowed thickly and turned around, her eyes wide and a little crazed.

"I'm not."

Lucas frowned in concern and stepped over to her, and she flinched backwards, staring up at him in alarm.

"I'm not!" she asserted, though he could see her face was getting pale.

He gently took her chin in his hand, rubbing her face with his thumb, "Hey. Look at me. It's going to be okay."

She stared up at him, her eyes a little unfocused, her brows furrowed.

"We're gonna die in this fucking box. We're gonna die and they'll find our maggot infested remains…"

"Now you're just being dramatic." He laughed, squeezing her cheeks together, "We're going to be fine."

His calloused hands on her face snapped her out of her little trance, and she jerked her face out of his hold, slapping his hands away. She glared up at him.

"We're _not_ going to be fine." She threw her hand in the direction of the nonresponsive key pad. "Everything is broken, we're trapped in this shit hole, and in case you didn't notice, there's not even any service to contact anyone!"

"We're not trapped." Lucas pointed out, taking off his coat and suit jacket and setting them on the rusted railing. He pointed upwards in the direction of a panel next to the light fixture. "I think it we can push that door out, we can get out of the elevator."

"Are you kidding me?" she rolled her eyes, leaning against the wall with a despairing sigh. "This isn't some movie."

"It's still worth a try though." He moved under the panel, looking and squinting to see better. "It looks like there's a latch to open it. I can't reach it on my own though."

He pointedly glanced at Maya, and she rose a menacing brow.

"Hell no."

"Maya–"

"I am not going on your fucking shoulders in this tiny ass space just to open a panel."

"Well we need to try something!"

"Do it yourself."

"Maya c'mon!"

" _No_."

"Seriously?" he looked like he was starting to get irritated with her, "So you'd rather just sit in here and wait for who knows how long until this thing starts up and running? That could be hours from now!"

"So what?!" Maya snapped, her eyes shining in annoyance.

His expression turned a little incredulous as realization dawned. "Are you afraid of heights too?"

She clenched her fist, looking at the ground and chewing on her lip. Lucas let out an exasperated sigh, running his hand through his hair.

"Goddamn…" he muttered, walking over to her. "Hey. Is this really fucking you up?"

She looked up into his concerned green eyes momentarily and then averted her gaze. "Isn't it obvious?"

"Why are you so scared?"

"What? People have to have an excuse to be scared of something now?"

"Normally they do." He said quietly.

But she ignored his comment, tugging out her phone to see if she could possibly get a little bit of service.

Nothing.

Fuck this.

"I won't let you fall."

"Don't care." She said crossly, shoving her phone back into her purse, "I'm not going to risk it. If I don't go to a high place, chances of me falling and breaking my ass are much lower."

"Maya. I played football for years. I won't drop you."

"In case you didn't notice, _Heehaw_ , I'm not the same size as a damn football."

"Maya." He said earnestly. His tone made her bite back her words and she looked up and met his gaze. He looked serious. "I won't drop you. I promise."

She wanted to keep arguing against him—she really did—but his words were sincere and she felt her trepidation disappear for a fraction of a second. She huffed and let out a long breath, watching as that stray lock of her hair blew out of her face before landing in the same spot. Lucas waited patiently for her decision, the sincere expression in his eyes not leaving. Maybe it wouldn't be such a bad idea. What was the worst—

Nope. _Hell_ no.

She refused to think about that.

Maya growled under breath after a few moments before finally throwing her hands in the air in surrender.

"Fine."

...

 _~19:35 24 Dec~_

...

"You see anything?" Lucas called from beneath her, his voice carrying up.

Maya looked around at the cables and the huge cavern and mechanism of the elevator. This was some pretty crazy shit. She'd seen scenes like this in the movies but it was almost surreal to see it in person. This was kind of crazy.

"We're stuck between two floors." She shouted down.

"Can you reach the doors of the floor above us?"

"No…" she shook her head as she gauged the distance and took her height into consideration. "I think we're a lot closer to the lower floor."

"Alright. I'm bringing you down."

"You better not drop me, or I'll kick your ass Huckleberry!"

"Wouldn't dream of it."

"Fine then."

He let go of her ankles and slid her down. Maya let out a surprised yelp and clamped her eyes shut as gravity pulled her down. But he caught her around the waist before she could even touch the ground, holding her tightly as she descended and keeping her steady. She wrapped her arms around his neck, shaking slightly and trying to calm her crazily beating heart. She let out a few shaky breaths, swallowing deeply for a few seconds. She had survived.

"See? That wasn't so bad, was it?" Lucas said, right by her ear.

She pulled a little away from him, grasping his shoulders and blushed when she realized how intimately close they were. She fought the urge to deeply inhale the scent of his cologne. _God_ … it was so sexy. Their gazes remained on each other for a few moments, until Maya frowned.

"It was terrible. Put me down."

He obliged, setting her on her feet with his lips quirked up in amusement. She wobbled unsteadily for a second, feeling a little unstable on her feet after her center of balance had shifted so many times, but she recovered and let out a relieved sigh. At least that was done and over with.

"So." Lucas said, a smirk on his lips, "Strawberry Shortcake?"

For a second, she didn't understand what he meant. But only for a second. Because she suddenly remembered what panties she had been wearing that day (she hadn't done laundry yet!) and then she recalled that when she had been standing on his shoulders, he'd had a direct view up her dress. She snatched her heel off of the floor and hurled it at him.

"You fucking pervert!"

...

 _~20:12 24 Dec~_

...

"God this sucks… I could've been on a plane back to Texas by now."

Maya lolled her head to the side, glancing at Lucas. He had removed his tie and had his sleeves rolled up his forearms. "Why are you traveling on Christmas Eve?"

"I had exams up until this point."

"Right…" she checked her phone again, telepathically trying to communicate to Riley that she was in trouble. They had a sixth sense about each other being in trouble. She hoped maybe Riley could pick up on it, though she knew it was wishful thinking. "Exams."

"What about you? Were you going out to dinner?"

"Yeah… with my mom." _And her shitty husband._

"Sorry you're stuck here."

She rolled over on his coat, lying on her stomach and kicking her feet up and down. "Nah… Wouldn't have been missing anything actually…"

"Bad relationship with your mom?" he asked curiously.

"Not quite." She didn't feel comfortable with the subject on her and changed it. "Anyway, isn't your family going to worry if you don't show up?"

"My dad doesn't give a shit about me. He hasn't cared since I told him I wasn't taking over the company." Lucas said wryly, "Whether I show up or not, it doesn't matter to him. I don't even know why I bother going anymore. He's got his new family. He doesn't need me."

Her eyebrows rose a bit in surprise. "New family, huh? You've got one of those deserting fathers too?"

"Yeah." He gave her a small smile, leaning his head back against the wall and resting his arms on his bent knees. "High school. You?"

"Third grade."

He winced, "Ouch."

She shrugged, feeling a small comfort from the fact that he understood the pain of losing a father. No one she knew had that issue. It was nice to know there was someone who had the same issues as she did.

"I got over it. Eventually."

"Do you look like him?" he asked.

"Spitting image."

"Yeah. Same."

He slid his phone over to her and showed her his wallpaper. It was him with his mother, obviously from when he was a little kid, but the man standing next to the beautiful blonde woman looked like a slightly older current Lucas. Only with colder eyes.

"Damn... He's smokin' hot." she said nonchalantly, not really paying attention to the words that had come out of her mouth.

A smirk grew on Lucas' face. "You think I'm hot?"

She glared at him. "I didn't say that. I said your dad was."

"Yeah, but it's implied because I look like him. Therefore, you think I'm hot."

She blushed, a little taken aback by the truth in his statement. He was right. And he knew it, judging by the way his smirk grew. She picked up her other heel and flung it at him in annoyance.

"Shut up!"

...

 _~20:26 24 Dec~_

...

"It's starting to get hot…" Maya whined, fanning herself. She felt sticky with the thin layer of sweat that was on her skin. "There's no draft coming from the stupid elevator shaft."

"We need something to distract ourselves…" Lucas mused, closing his eyes momentarily.

"Right?" Maya groaned in annoyance. "Man, what I wouldn't give for a fucking beer."

Lucas sat straighter with a start and grabbed his suitcase, rummaging through the contents with an excited gleam in his eyes. He pulled out a bottle of red wine from the bag, and Maya's head popped up in interest.

"You had fucking wine in your bag the entire time, and you didn't tell me?"

"I forgot." he said, somewhat apologetically, unscrewing the cap of the wine.

Maya let out a sigh at the smell of the wine and crawled over to him, holding out her hand.

"Give it here, Sundance. I need a serious drink."

He handed it to her in amusement and watched as Maya chugged it without hesitation.

"Have you eaten anything?"

She handed him the bottle, wiping a little of the dribble off her chin and shaking her head.

"Nope. That's why I'm chugging."

He cracked a grin and took a swig himself.

...

 _~20:54 24 Dec~_

...

"You think anyone knows we're in here?" Lucas asked, taking another swig of the almost empty bottle.

"There's barely anyone here. Most of them have gone on vacations and shit…" Maya drawled, rolling onto her back and trying to finish the stupid level of Candy Crush on Lucas' phone. Why was the frickin thing so hard?

"Damn… So I'm stuck with you for hours?"

She tilted her head back and shot him a glare. "That's my line, Hopalong."

"Where the hell do you keep getting all these nicknames from?" he snorted, and gestured to her dress. "And I can see down your dress by the way."

"You shouldn't be looking in the first place." she snarked, "That's not very gentlemanly of you, is it, _Mr. Perfect_?"

Lucas laughed out loud, passing her the bottle when she gestured for it. " _Mr. Perfect_? Do you even know me?"

And that piqued her interest. Setting down the phone, she pulled up her dress and sat upright, eyeing him curiously.

"Well, that's intriguing. You seem like a modern day Dudley-Do-Right to me. Are you saying you're not?"

"Maybe I'm a little more mellow now, but I wasn't always like this." he snatched up the bottle and took a sip. "High school was a blur of tequila, moonshine, and fights."

Maya let out an incredulous snort. "Lucas The Good drank at school?"

"Yeah. Especially when teachers became unbearable little shits."

She blinked in surprise. She was the same.

"You said you got into fights?"

"I was kind of a dick…" He sighed, running a hand through his hair, "With a pretty bad temper."

It was pretty surprising to hear _that._ The Lucas who she knew was one of the most patient people she knew. He never got riled up, despite all her mockery and insults. Though it pissed her off, it was pretty impressive that he never reacted to her jabs. It was hard to believe he had a temper.

"So what changed?"

"I, uh…" he hesitated, looking at the bottle longingly.

Maya sighed and rolled her eyes, "Just tell me. I'm not a judge-y person. You don't have to worry about that."

He regarded her silently for a spell before nodding slowly.

"Well, my dad put a lot of pressure on me. And I relieved myself of that pressure in the wrong way. I put some poor kid in the hospital. Got kicked out of school. My dad sent me here with my mom to get a clean start." Lucas said, a little withdrawn, "And despite his broken ribs, busted knees, and fractured skull, that kid still forgave me. So I vowed to turn things around and become a better person for myself and for that guy."

Maya stared at him all through his speech, her pulse racing. So Mr. Perfect really wasn't a Mr. Perfect after all. He was a real guy with some pretty bad demons and a terrible past. And it made him even more attractive, the stupid fuck.

"You know what? I finally like you." Maya said with a smile.

"Good to know…" He eyed her with one brow raised, a sarcastic look on his face as he took another swig, "It's not like you hated me or anything."

"Well, it's not like I hated _you_." Maya drew out, laying back on his coat, snatching up the phone to finish that blasted level. "I just hated your stupid perfect face and sexy body and all those annoying neighbours who are always gossiping about you and giggling over you like you're some piece of meat."

"So you're jealous?" he said cheekily, leaning over her with an annoying smirk, "Or better yet, you think I'm sexy?"

"Shut up. I'm tipsy." Maya said dryly, finishing off the bottle. "You got another bottle?"

He snorted and pulled out another identical bottle from his suitcase.

"Hells yeah."

...

 _~21:28 24 Dec~_

...

"Hey, remember that time we had that insane hook up on New Year's?"

She remembered alright. She remembered limping back to her apartment and the embarrassing hickeys she had to hide for a couple days and how sore she had been for the rest of the week.

Maya tilted her head back and stared at him, lying on his side casually reading one of his books. He was staring at her legs propped against the wall. She was vaguely aware that her dress had ridden up her thighs and was bunched up at her hips, but she didn't care. It's not like he hadn't already seen her underwear anyway.

"Why are you bringing it up?" she frowned.

He cocked a brow, a suggestive smile on his lips. Maya rolled her eyes, fighting her blush and pretending she did not just see him proposition her.

"You are a fucking pervert…"

"Only towards you, babe."

"Babe?" she scoffed, "How drunk are you?"

"Drunk enough to have a one track mind right now."

"Yeah… That's not happening."

"It _could_ help pass the time." he said in a low, sultry voice. "And we had _a_ _lot_ of fun, if I recall correctly. Especially you. You broke my headboard."

"Shut up." Maya said, her cheeks burning red at the memory. "Or I'm chucking this empty bottle at you."

"Alright…" he singsonged and then took another swig of the bottle next to him, "You know where I'll be if you change your mind."

"Fuck you, you stupid cowboy."

"I'd love that, ma'am." He winked saucily, pretending to tip a hat.

" _Ooooooh_ …" she shuddered in annoyance.

...

 _~21:47 24 Dec~_

...

"So why are you afraid of heights?" Lucas asked, lying on the ground beside Maya.

She glanced at him, "Why do you want to know?"

He shrugged, "Just making conversation. We ran out of wine."

She contemplated not telling him, but then ditched the idea. She honestly found she didn't care if he knew.

"My mom and I were dirt poor growing up. No insurance, no car, barely any money type of ordeal. She worked twenty-four out of twenty-eight possible shifts every week. We lived in some dingy apartment with a roach infestation, a duct-taped balcony railing and a shit ton of other problems. When I was in ninth grade, I was chilling with my best friend there once and she leaned against it, and it broke."

Lucas turned to face her, an alarmed expression on his face.

"She was fine. I got her hand before she fell. But after I got her up, I fell over the side." Maya frowned, "My memory is really blurry after that. I remember seeing the ground start swirling, but nothing after that."

"Vertigo?"

"Yeah, something like that." Maya shook her head, "Woke up in the hospital a couple days later with so many fractured bones and stitches. I had to get a metal rod installed in my part of my leg to hold it up. I could have died that day, but by some stroke of luck, I landed in the dumpster nearby. I've been afraid of heights ever since."

"Holy shit…" he said softly.

"Bet you weren't expecting that, huh?"

"Yeah." He sounded bewildered, "How did your mom pay for your treatment?"

Maya grit her teeth. "The doctor that was closely monitoring me, Joe Fairhaven. He started dating my mom while I was still in the hospital and took care of everything."

"Sounds like a really nice guy."

She stiffened and sat up. "Shut the fuck up."

Lucas blinked at her in surprise, sitting up slowly in confusion. "What?"

"You don't know shit about him."

"Maya, what did I say that was so bad?"

"Joe is nothing but a damn creep and an asshole!" she growled, "He waves around his damn money all the time, keeping my mom on a leash like he's her pimp or something! Meanwhile, he goes around screwing anything that fucking _breathes_!"

Lucas shook his head, completely baffled by Maya's sudden outrage.

"Hold on, I'm confused. Back up a bit."

"When I was a senior in high school, my mom finally got engaged to Joe. She said they had been waiting for me to finish high school before they considered marriage so I wouldn't have to change my entire life. They were planning to get married in the summer and we were all set to move in with him once I got to college."

Maya ran her hand through her hair in frustration, "So stupidly, I thought this guy was a great guy. He was like Superman or something. Swooped down and rescued my mom and I from our debilitating poverty. So on spring break, I went to visit him to thank him for all his help. And found him _screwing_ some random lady, who I later found out was his _wife_ who lived in Cali."

Lucas' mouth dropped open in shock.

"Sounds crazy, right? It gets worse." Maya growled, "I wasn't stupid enough to bring it up to my mom without evidence because she was head over heels. So I videotaped it and then showed my mom."

"What did she do?"

Maya picked at the hem of her dress, her curtain of hair falling in her face.

"She cried about it for days. But when I asked her if she was going to confront him, she refused to. She said she would put up with it. She said she was tired of being too poor to be able to afford life. She didn't want to go back to that life again.

"But I refused to be his fucking charity case. I depleted my life savings and worked my ass off to pay off the hospital bill he took care of years ago. And then I refused to go live with them when I started my college in the fall. I had to stay with my friend for a while, but it worked out because we went to the same school. And then my mom caught him cheating one day, and she confronted him. And by the end of the confrontation, he threatened to divorce her and leave her in poverty again.

"My mom's always had the worst relationships with men. She's always been unlucky in love, and I'm sick of cleaning up the mess when her love life falls to pieces. I just kept my distance. Maybe I'm selfish. Maybe I'm a terrible daughter, but I can't keep taking care of her like I'm the mother. And she's kind of right. She's had a terrible life. So this is her chance to finally have some happiness. Even if it means living with a cheating asshole, then so be it. I'll respect her wishes."

"That is unbelievably fucked up…" Lucas said, staring at her, appalled at her life situation.

Maya nodded, "I was about to go to dinner with them. Joe thinks if he keeps giving me gifts and buying me clothes and offering to pay my tuition and buy me a car, I'll forgive and forget like my mother has, but I'm no ditz. I have my father's stubborn and unforgiving streak."

"And you hate that because he left you behind?" Lucas asked.

"No. I hate that because he was a verbal and psychological abuser. I already have two of his main personality traits and his looks. Who's to say I won't turn out exactly like him?"

" _Christ_ …" Lucas said, "What kind of life have you experienced?"

"He was so abusive to my mother she became dependent on him for everything. It's the reason why she clings to terrible men and settles and lets them use her."

"And you?"

"Me?" Maya chuckled mirthlessly, "He locked me in closets."

"That's why you're claustrophobic?"

"Pretty much…"

Lucas was silent for a very long period of time and with a sigh, Maya turned to face the back wall. She usually wasn't so talkative but there was something about Lucas that made her want to tell him everything.

And then she stiffened when Lucas slid his arms around her from behind, holding her to his chest.

"What the hell are you doing, Huckleberry?"

"It just seemed like you needed a hug is all." he said softly against her ear, "No perverted intentions here. I promise."

"…Thanks."

...

 _~22:31 24 Dec~_

...

"It's hot…"

"Hmmm…" Lucas agreed, leaning his head back against the wall, "I agree."

"So let go of me." Maya said, turning and glancing at him over her shoulder.

"I don't know if I really want to. You're really comfortable."

Maya groaned. She knew she should have just shoved him off earlier. He had repositioned them a while ago so he could relax his back on the wall and she was tucked in his arms between his bent knees. She hadn't minded the position before, but now, she could feel the sweat through his shirt, and she was getting hot.

She rolled her eyes, "Figures. Pervert."

"That's a pretty strong accusation, ma'am." He whispered in her ear, chuckling when a light shiver ran down her back.

"You are literally so annoying." She growled, checking her phone again to see if maybe some service had come back. "How do your friends even put up with you?"

He laughed, a melodious sound in her ears that made Maya's cheeks threaten to burn red. God, he had such a nice laugh. Stupid attractive cowboy…

"Believe it or not, my friends are probably even worse than me."

"Oh yeah?" Her interest was piqued. She knew some interesting characters in New York. Maybe they had mutual friends. "Who do you hang out with?"

"Uh, a guy named Zay. He's also from Texas. Billy Ross. There's Izzy."

"Izzy?"

"Isadora Smackle."

"Smackle?" Maya said incredulously. "What kind of name is that?"

"I would've thought the same thing, had I not met someone with an even weirder name right before."

"Oh yeah? Who?"

"Farkle Minkus."

Maya's breath hitched in recognition. "Wait? You know Farkle?!"

"Yeah. He's probably my best friend in this city."

"I went to high school with the kid!" Maya laughed, "He was always obsessed with me and Riley."

"Wait a second." Lucas said. "You said, Riley? As in Riley Matthews?"

"You know her?"

"I don't know her. But, when I met Farkle in college, he thought I was lonely, so he set me up on a blind date with some friend of Riley Matthews'."

And then Maya froze as what he said struck a chord.

"Wait…" she growled, "Several years ago, Riley set _me_ up on a blind date with some friend of Farkle's from Texas. It was _you!"_

Lucas laughed. "Wow. I did not expect that. What are the chances."

"You dick! You stood me up!" she exclaimed. "I sat at that restaurant for an hour eating fucking bread and looking like an idiot!"

"I got lost on the subway, and I didn't have your number. You can't fault me for that."

"Whatever." Maya grouched. "I owe you the ass kicking of your life for standing me up."

He rested his chin on her shoulder, speaking lowly in her ear. "Well... How about instead of an ass kicking, I get to lick–"

She jabbed him harshly with her elbow before he could finish his sentence, and he grunted at the impact.

"Fucking pervert…"

He laughed, and Maya had to bite her lip to keep from laughing as well.

...

 _~22:50 24 Dec~_

...

"Why don't we reschedule?"

Maya stopped pacing around the elevator, turning to look at Lucas in confusion.

"What?"

He set his book down with a smile, standing up and stretching his arms and legs. "Let's go on a date."

"A date?" She narrowed her eyes. "Sorry, cowboy. I'm busy until May."

"I meant right now."

"In this elevator?"

"Yeah." He approached her, a small smile on his lips. "I stood you up. Let me make it up to you."

"And how the hell are we going to have a date in here?"

"Easy." And then he picked up his phone and opened up a tic tac toe game. "Best three out of five. Winner gets the rest of the wine."

Maya couldn't help it. A snort escaped her lips and before she knew it, she was clutching her stomach in laughter, gasps escaping her lips as she struggled to control herself.

"Are you fucking serious right now? What kind of first date is this?"

"Hey." He shrugged with a playful grin on his lips, "I make do with what I have."

She shook her head in mirth. She couldn't believe she was about to go through with this.

"You know what? What do I have to lose?"

She walked in front of him, looking down at the game on his phone.

"Hi. I'm Lucas Friar."

"Maya Hart." she said, giving him a sly smirk, "You ready to lose, Huckleberry?"

"We'll see about that, ma'am."

...

 _~23:00 24 Dec~_

...

Maya chugged down the rest of the wine in satisfaction, letting out a refreshed ' _ah_!' when she finished. She wiped her mouth with a smug grin.

"Told you you would lose."

"Guess you were right." he said, watching her with an indecipherable look in his eyes.

"Don't go getting all sappy on me now." Maya said, sauntering up to him with a raised brow, "Where was all that gusto from the date?"

"I'm afraid the date is over, ma'am."

"That's how you end dates? If that's how you end them, then I'm glad I got stood up all those years ago."

He rose a brow, his eyes glinting with something a little dangerous.

"Actually…" he said lowly, deliberately. "I usually end my dates with her up against a wall."

Maya's breath caught at the look in his eyes. He wanted to play, huh? She would bite.

She smiled flirtatiously, putting her hands against his chest.

"Even the first date, cowboy? Aren't you a stud."

"How do you end yours?" he smirked, hands falling lightly on her waist.

"Well…" Maya said, holding his gaze as she slowly unbuttoned the top buttons of his shirt. "If it's the third date, I take him home with me."

"If it's the second date, I give him a little taste." She continued her slowly descent, unbuttoning as she went along. "Ah. But I end it before it gets too far. Leave him wanting more kind of thing, you know?"

Lucas' green gaze was smouldering. "And the first?"

"Oh honey… I don't do first date hookups." She popped open the last few buttons and her gaze trailed down to his sculpted torso and chest.

God his body was amazing. She wanted him.

"But…" She grasped the two sides of his shirt and tugged him closer, giving him a seductive look through her eyelashes. "I might be willing to make a certain exception."

His gaze dropped to her lips momentarily before he met her eyes, a naughty smirk on his lips.

"Is that so?" he growled, slowly backing her up against the wall. "And what's that?"

"Well you see…" she licked her lips, "If I already hooked up with him, there's no point to the date rule, now is there?"

They stared at each other, electricity charging between their gazes.

Then she grabbed his collar and yanked him down, and he kissed her, a heated, vulgar thing that sent a jolt of pleasure through her entire body.

Oh she was definitely going to enjoy this.

...

 _~23:43 24 Dec~_

...

"You didn't have to tear my dress, you know…" Maya said in annoyance, lightly threading her hands through Lucas' hair as he rested his head in her lap.

"That's not half as bad as you breaking that railing." He pointed out.

"Well, you shouldn't have been so rough." she retorted, "And thanks a lot. That was the only thing I brought to wear, besides my pajamas."

"I gave you my shirt. It's all good." He said, eyes closed as she worked her magic. "Besides, you know you hated that thing anyway."

It was true. She _did_ hate that dress. She'd only worn it for the whole 'have some Christmas spirit' bullshit.

"True…"

"You know what I just realized…" Lucas said, turning over on his back and crossing his arms in front of his chest.

Maya smirked to herself when she saw the smattering of hickeys up and down his torso. She'd done good work.

"What?"

"What do we do if we have to take a piss?"

Maya snorted, rolling her eyes. "We've got two empty bottles. I'm sure we can think of something."

"…Beautiful."

Her gaze shot down to Lucas in confusion at his response. He was looking up at her with a soft, appreciative smile. Maya felt her cheeks burn at the 'something that looked like affection' in his eyes.

"What's up with you?"

"Nothing. It's just…" he reached up and moved a strand of hair out of her face. "Did you know your eyes change between gray and blue when the light hits them in different ways? It's beautiful."

Maya's face dropped, and her brows slightly furrowed.

"Maya? What's wrong?"

"Sorry. It's nothing. Just… Someone said that to me once."

"An ex?"

"How'd you guess?"

"Your face has regret written all over it. And anger. Bad breakup?"

"He cheated."

"What a pig."

Maya smiled sadly. "And that isn't the worst of it… He's my best friend's uncle… So I couldn't tell her. All I could do was dump him and try to move on. And then everyone questioned why I would end our relationship like that, but I couldn't say anything about it. No one would have believed me anyway. He has a huge reputation as a really nice guy."

"He sounds like an ass to me."

Maya shook her head. "No. He really _is_ a nice guy. But when we started dating, I was a high school senior, and he was a university senior. I guess it was inevitable that he realized we didn't really have anything to tether our relationship because I wasn't in the same stage in life as him."

"Well that's a relief."

Maya glared at him, and he supplied her a cheeky grin.

"What?" she snapped.

"When you first said uncle, I was imagining some forty something grubby old man." Lucas laughed, "It's a relief to know he isn't that much older than you."

Maya snorted, leaning back against the wall, "Yeah. Josh is only three years older. I wonder what he's up to these days..."

Lucas watched her carefully. "Did you love him?"

"I used to think so. But if I really stop to think about it, I think I was using him."

"How so?"

"You don't know Riley, but if you've ever spent a day in the life of Riley, you'll see that she has the perfect family. The perfect life. Married parents, an awesome younger brother. Grandparents, cool uncles and a caring aunt."

"You wanted to be a part of that family."

She nodded. "They were the epitome of everything I wanted my life to be. Growing up, Cory, Riley's dad, kept telling me that I didn't have to be blood to be considered family. But I really wanted to solidify my spot as a member. I decided marrying Josh would be my ticket into the Matthews family."

"But then everything crashed and burned."

"Yeah." She sighed, "To be honest, I think he picked up on the fact that in some way, I was using him for my own selfish desire to be a Matthews. The girl he cheated on me with, she really loved him. Everything about him and not everything he was attached to. So in the end, I gave up rather than fight for him. I was treating him as a doorway to my goals instead of as a lover."

"… You still didn't deserve to be cheated on."

She let out a little breath of laughter. "Thanks Huckleberry."

Lucas sat up with a grin, "You know what? I'd say this calls for more alcohol. What do you say we crack open this bottle of gin in my bag?"

"Urgh…" Maya fake gagged. "Gin is fucking disgusting."

"I know." Lucas said with his nose wrinkled in disgust, "I got it for my dad. He loves the stuff."

"Bitter drink for a bitter man?"

"Sounds about right."

"Give it here."

She reached her hand out for the bottle, and Lucas placed it in her hand with an amused smile. She unscrewed the cap and lifted it up as if to make a toast.

"Here's to exes and terrible fathers and terrible stepfathers. That they may always remain bitter memories."

She took a sniff and then slightly recoiled in disgust.

"Urgh... It's just a shot."

"Uh Maya? I wouldn't swig that if–"

"Quiet, Ranger Rick."

And then she knocked it back to take a swig.

And promptly choked and gasped for breath, coughing and whacking her chest. Lucas laughed out loud, dying over her little mess.

"That's 90 proof Maya. It's gonna burn."

"Why the hell didn't you tell me that before?!"

...

 _~00:14 25 Dec~_

...

"I'm so bored…" Maya moaned.

"Yeah, so am I. Thanks to you, my phone died ages ago."

"Mine is about to die too."

She checked her phone and smiled when she saw the time and the switch in date.

"Hey… Merry Christmas." Maya said, smiling happily at Lucas.

He smiled back, before laying back down on his makeshift bed of all his clothes. "You too."

Maya's eyes went down to his boxer covered crotch, and she stared at it unabashedly.

"See something you like?" he asked playfully.

"Shut up." She picked up her torn red dress and tied it around her wrist, fashioning it so it looked like a bow. Then she crawled over to Lucas and climbed on his lap, sitting back against his crotch and leaning forward so her hair was tickling his chest. His hands went to her hips, and he rubbed light circles on the exposed skin of her thighs. "I'm your Christmas gift. You're allowed to do whatever you want to me. Don't make me regret this."

"In that case…"

Lucas smirked before flipping them over and pinning her hands to the ground. She stared up at him wantonly, giving him a come-hither look that darkened his gaze.

"I should unwrap my present…"

"...Pervert."

"Only for you, babe." he kissed her lightly. "Only for you."

...

 _~1:32 25 Dec~_

...

"You think we're ever going to get out of here?" Maya asked, gazing up at Lucas.

He tucked a lock of her hair behind her ear, before pulling his coat further over them.

"Honestly, I think we'll be here until the morning."

"Kind of sucks that it's Christmas when the elevator broke down…" Maya yawned. "No one's going to be using it anytime soon."

"Mmhmm…" he said, kissing her softly.

She moaned and pulled slightly away, looking up at him sleepily.

"No way…" she said, "You wore me out. No more kissing. I can barely keep my eyes open."

He chuckled lightly and then kissed her forehead. He watched her affectionately as she gazed up at him with a slightly raised eyebrow.

"Lucas, you're staring."

"You called me Lucas…" he said playfully.

She didn't even have the energy to roll her eyes and instead just snuggled into his chest.

"What? I can't call you by your given name?"

"It's just unexpected, that's all." he said, rubbing her back with light circles that made her sigh in heavenly bliss, "Hey. What's your deepest sexual desire?"

"Hmm…" she mumbled, "Don't tell anyone, but I want to have marathon sex to all three Godfather movies."

Lucas laughed out loud, because what she had said was just so weird.

"The Godfather?"

She pinched his chest, "It's not that funny. You don't have to laugh that loudly."

"You kidding? That's actually hilarious."

"God I can't stand you." She growled, sliding her arms up around his neck and rubbing her legs against his.

"That sure didn't stop you from getting on top and riding me like a pony."

"You want a concussion? Because that bottle behind you is screaming your name and far be it for me to keep your head from having it back."

"Even spent as hell, you're dangerous, Shortstack."

"You better believe it." She yawned again, "What's your desire?"

"To have marathon sex to all three Godfather movies."

For a second, Maya thought he was telling the truth, but when her gaze snapped to his, he had a drop dead smirk on his lips. She scoffed.

"You're such a pain in the ass."

"I know." He held her closer, "My desire was, oddly enough, to screw in an elevator. Granted, I was thinking more along the lines of a _working_ elevator, but I think this counts."

"Hmmm…" she responded noncommittally.

It was getting harder and harder to keep her eyes open and with each passing second, she could feel herself drifting off to dream land.

"I'm sleepy…" Maya whined drowsily. "And drunk…"

He smoothed the back of her hair down, "Sleep. I'll wake you up if we start moving."

"Lucas…" she mumbled, "You're sweet…"

And then she drifted off into dream land.

...

 _~7:57 25 Dec~_

...

Maya was roused from sleep when she heard the whirring of machinery starting up. A little confused, she sat up and looked around. Lucas was fast asleep next to her, snoring softly. The lights buzzed momentarily, flickered and then went out.

She nudged Lucas awake. He woke up groggily with a raised eyebrow, looking a little confused about their surroundings.

"Hey. Huckleberry. I think this thing's about to start again."

And as she said that, the lights blinked on and the lift began to move down once again. They glanced at each other momentarily.

"Shit."

They scrambled to get their clothes on as fast as possible and put Lucas' clothes and the empty bottles of liquor back into his bag.

When they reached the lobby, they were met by the confused faces of two technicians.

"Have y'all two been stuck in there all night?"

"We made the best of our situation." Lucas said with a smile, walking out with Maya in tow, their bags in their hands. "Merry Christmas."

Maya knew what they probably looked like. Their hair was mussed and their clothes were disheveled, they probably reeked of booze, and hell, she was wearing a pair of pajama shorts and one of Lucas' too big for her shirts.

They stopped in the lobby, and then Lucas looked up, smiling cheekily.

"Would you look at that? It's a mistletoe."

Maya rolled her eyes, "And here he goes again, Lucas Friar, Mr. Pervert him–"

He cut her off with a soft, gentle kiss. This one warm and slow and sending heat through Maya's whole body. Unlike the rough, animalistic kisses they'd given each other all night, this one was gentle and full of promise. When he broke away, her cheeks were burning red.

"Don't you have to get a new flight to Texas?"

"I'm sure my father won't be bummed if I don't show up." He said, smiling and kissing her forehead, "Say, do you have any plans?"

"Well…" she hummed, "I was supposed to come back from Jersey by ten. So looks like there's no point in heading there at all. So nope. No plans."

His smile grew. "How would you like to spend Christmas with me? I've got more booze in my apartment. My Gran's pies and food in my fridge."

"Hmm, I don't know." She said playfully, putting a pensive finger to her chin. "Doesn't really intrigue me."

Lucas' grin turned into a suggestive smirk, and he bent at the waist, speaking slowly in her ear.

"I've also got all _three_ Godfather films, a TV in my bedroom, and one thousand thread count Egyptian cotton sheets."

Maya's heart raced in excitement. Oh yeah. That sounded like a Christmas to her.

"Sold." She said with a smile, taking his hand. "Lead the way, cowboy."

He chuckled and they headed back up to their floor to go to his apartment, taking the _stairs_ this time.

And Maya knew this was going to be the best Christmas ever.


	18. Whoops

**Starting next week, I will be tackling some of the requests from previous chapters! I promised I would write them, so it shall happen :)  
**

 **Alright! Off to watch GM Hurricane! Hopefully it's up by now :)  
**

 **Enjoy! Thank you for your reactions to the one shots! Each one makes my day. It honestly, honestly does! :D  
**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own GMW.**

* * *

 **Title: Whoops...  
Pairings&Characters: Katy, "Rick", Maya  
** **Genre: Romance, Friendship, Humor, AU  
Rating: K+ for Kind-hearted, nice boys  
Summary: Katy just wants to help her baby girl.**

* * *

Katy sighed in concern, scrubbing at the counter, trying to wipe away the coffee stain.

"Katy?" Andie asked, "You know the stain's been gone for almost five minutes now."

"Oh you're right…" she shook her head in alarm and tossed the dirty rag in their used rag bin, rubbing her forehead and sighing again.

Andie stopped restocking pastries and turned to her, hands on her hips. "Okay. You've been sighing all day. What's up? Do you want me to take over for a bit? We've got some leftover black cream tea in the back if you need it to relax."

Katy smiled at Andie, her recent hire. She was a nice girl. A little on the rough and tumble side, but she truly cared about people and customers. And she was a whizz at complicated coffee orders. Just the kind of person Katy needed for when lunch rush came and orders were flying out the wazoo and slamming her from every side. And she gave great advice.

"You're in your second year of college, right Andie?"

"Yeah."

"So you've been through the whole high school, teenage girl phase right?"

"Something the matter with Maya?"

"Ummm…" Katy sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose, "I don't know if there's something _wrong_ with her, but she very much isn't the same these days."

Andie smiled secretively. "Is it a boy?"

Katy nodded. "She's got a crush on someone. But as far as I'm concerned, she hasn't said a word of it to him."

"Well, in my time in high school back in the dinosaur age, girls weren't really all that into telling guys they liked them directly. It was kind of a throw little hints and spend more time with him until he picked up on the interest. Or you know, just hook up with him."

Katy nodded slowly, still a little lost in thought.

Andie patted her shoulder. "If it makes you feel better, I can spy on Maya on my free day."

Katy laughed, "Thanks Andie. I'll keep that option on the backburner."

"Alright KitKat." Then Andie went towards the backroom to check the pastries. "Don't fret about it. It'll probably work itself out."

Katy frowned, wondering how she could help Maya. Now that she had more time on her hands to mother her once again, she wanted to be able to give her advice about these things. But she didn't know where to begin. And aside from some cryptic and diverted conversations, she didn't really know all that much about this so called crush Maya had on this 'Lucas' kid. She wouldn't have even known his last name if she hadn't read Maya's diary (she was a _mom_ , not a saint!). She wasn't even sure who he was in the first place.

Then the shop bell jingled and in walked that boy who was usually hanging around Maya and her other friends. The very cute one who looked like a male model. She believed his name was Rick or maybe Roy or something like that. He dusted snow off of his boots and off his arms and legs before walking up to the counter, waving in greeting.

"Good afternoon, Ms. Hart."

"Hey." She smiled congenially. "What can I get ya?"

"Just a medium hot chocolate would be fine, please." He answered politely.

"Of course!" she pulled out a cup, writing HC on the side before pumping the hot chocolate mix into the bottom. "What kind of milk?"

"Soy milk. This is for my mom."

"Gotcha. Coming right up."

"Thank you."

What a charming kid. It wasn't often that she met nice teens this day and age. Some of them were very rude and practically threw their orders in her face and shoved the money on the counter, despite the fact that her hands were outstretched. What happened to please and thank you in these generations? It was very disappointing.

Great… She wasn't even thirty-five yet, and she was starting to sound like an old woman.

"You want whipped cream, hun?" she asked Rick, frothing and heating the soy milk that she would use for the hot drink.

"Do you have lactose-free whipped cream by any chance?"

"We have lowfat only. I'm sorry."

"No, it's fine." He smiled. "I'll just go without whipped cream."

She finished up with the milk, pouring it into the cup and carefully making sure the froth at the top didn't get into the cup. She mixed the contents absentmindedly, her mind wandering once again.

Did Maya talk to her friends a lot about this crush?

Katy was certain Maya told Riley. But Riley was hard to track down now that she was a cheerleader, and the days she would come to Topanga's were usually on Katy's day off. Her eyes went to the boy standing across the counter, idly observing some of the catalogs of tea as he waited. She wondered how much Rick knew about Maya's crush? Maybe he'd be able to help a bit…

"Alright. That's one hot chocolate, soy milk, hold the whipped cream." She pushed the lid on the top and handed him the cup. "Any pastries or snacks to go with that order?"

"No thank you."

"Okay great. Three nineteen is your total."

He handed her a five, and she cut the change, giving him back the necessary amount and his receipt.

"Here you are. Have a nice day"

"Thank you. You too."

He turned to leave with a smile, and then Katy stopped him.

"Uh just a second."

He turned back around a little in surprise, a curious questioning look in his eyes. She chewed her lower lip in trepidation. She really wanted to ask him about Maya. But was this really such a good idea, asking him? Teens hated it when their parents were all in their business. She knew that first hand, since she had always hated it when her mom was in her business… then again, maybe her mom should have been more in her business… It sure would have saved her a lot of trouble when she got pregnant in high school… Not that she thought Maya was going to get pregnant in high school or anything…

"Yes?" Rick asked when Katy didn't continue.

"Say… you're friends with my baby girl, right?"

His green eyes twinkled with mirth. "Something like that, yeah."

"I have a favour I need to ask of you. One that you have to keep on the DL." At his slightly apprehensive look, she laughed. "Oh don't worry, son. It's just that I need some information on Maya."

"Oh…" he visibly relaxed. "What would you like to know? Although, I don't think I know more about Maya than her own mother."

"Well, that is probably true. But you probably know more about _this_ particular topic than me. You see, Maya has a crush on a boy."

He stiffened almost immediately after her comment, his expression dropping a bit and turning almost sour. But he rectified it before it showed up clearly on his face, and Katy wondered vaguely if she had imagined it.

"Maya has a crush on someone?" He asked slowly, voice sounding oddly tight.

"She only mentions him in passing every once in a while but when I bring him up in conversation, she changes the subject. But I read her diary."

Rick frowned slightly, a little bit concerned by her words. "Ms. Hart. With all due respect, I don't think it'd be appropriate for me to know the contents of Maya's journal."

"It's totally fine. You're her friend, aren't you? I'm sure she shares this stuff with you." She waved off his comment. "Anyway, she's been obsessing about this one boy in her journal for a while now, wondering if he likes her back. Apparently, she's been crushing on him for the longest time and isn't sure how to approach him."

"I just want to help her find a way to get this boy to notice her. I feel so bad for her. Maya is so brave, but sometimes, she has so many fears…"

Rick nodded solemnly, looking like he knew that all too well.

He sighed dejectedly. "Alright. I'll help. What's the name of the guy she likes?"

"His name is Lucas Friar. She brings him up at least once or twice in every conversation and when I bring him up at random times, her face will erupt in the cutest little blush."

Rick's expression was looking pretty shocked by this point, his eyes wide and mouth slightly parted in total surprise.

Katy continued. "And let's not even talk about what she writes about him in her diary. Some things, _very_ inappropriate for a high school sophomore. But she has these adorable little dreams about him, where they're walking down the halls of the school holding hands or sharing kisses on the subway. Apparently Lucas is a great guy too. She raves about how smart he is and how he'll be destined for great things because he's the best guy she knows."

Rick had a slight blush on his cheeks. "Wow… I didn't know that's how she felt."

"Oh yeah." Katy continued emphatically, "And she'll use these multi-coloured gel pens to find as many different ways to write Mrs. Maya Penelope Friar-Hart and Mrs. Lucas Friar and Maya Friar and Mrs. Huckleberry and several others. She has such a huge crush on him! It's very cute."

"Yeah… that is cute." Rick smiled fondly. "I didn't realize she had such a big crush."

"Oh she definitely does." Katy nodded, "And I just want to give her a push. Otherwise she'll never confess to the guy and tell him how she feels. So my question to you is: do you know anything about this Lucas guy?"

"I do, actually." He replied, his green eyes dancing in mirth. He kind of looked like he was holding back a laugh. "I know a lot about him."

"Well, does he know Maya likes him?" she asked, ignoring his amused expression. What was so funny anyway?

"He never thought she was interested." He said softly, "She's not exactly _open_ about her feelings."

"Do you think he's interested in her?"

"Yeah." Rick smiled genuinely, his expression content. "He is."

"Oh thank goodness! Please can you do me a favour and ask him to drop little hints every once in a while to Maya, otherwise she'll never know he reciprocates."

"Sure thing. I can do that."

"You are such a great help. Thank you so much!"

"No problem, Ms. Hart. You've been a great help too."

And then Maya sauntered in through the door of the bakery with a jingle, removing her coat and tossing it on the coat rack with a shudder from the cold and a tired sigh. She caught Rick's eye and walked over to him, a small frown on her face when he just watched her affectionately.

"What's up with you, Ranger Rick?"

"Nothing…" he said, removing some remaining snow from a strand of her hair before tucking it behind her ear. "You look cute Maya."

Maya's cheeks erupted in colour at his words.

"Uh… thanks?"

"I'll see you at school, okay?" he said with a wink, before turning on his heel and walking out of the shop.

Maya shook her head slightly in confusion before letting out a small sigh and walking up to the counter. She leaned across it with a flustered, happy grin, picking up a pen and doodling on an old receipt someone else had left.

"We still on for movie night tonight, Mom?"

Katy smiled widely. "Rick is such a nice boy."

Maya's brows furrowed, her expression perplexed. "Rick? Who the hell is Rick?"

"You know. The one who just left…? Tall, tanned model with the green eyes?" Katy said, starting to get confused herself when Maya continued to stare at her incredulously. "You call him Ranger Rick."

Maya slowly shook her head. "Mom, that's just my nickname for him."

"Oh." Katy picked up a clean rag to wipe down the espresso station. "Well what's his name, sweetie?"

"It's Lucas."

And Katy stopped cleaning. She gasped and looked up at Maya's face in shock. And suddenly, everything made sense. No wonder Maya's face had turned red! Katy had been thinking it was a strange reaction to a seemingly platonic friend.

"Lucas? As in _the_ Lucas Friar you write about in your diary?"

"Yeah… Hey! You read my diary?!"

But Katy ignored Maya's indignant huffing and ranting about the sanctity of privacy being a necessity in order to build trust with one other and — _hey! are you even listening to me?_ Because all Katy could think about was what she had just revealed to the boy she had thought was named Rick.

About Maya.

And her huge, crazy crush on him.

"...Whoops."


	19. Boredom II

**Hi tin! How do I come up with these haha? Well... an overactive (and perverted) imagination bred from several childhood years of being sheltered ;3**

 **Up next: Guest request for mentioned scene from Practice Makes Perfect!  
**

 **Enjoy! I wish you all had accounts so I could respond to every review individually because you all are so sweet and kind and it means so much to me whenever I read your encouraging words. It really does make my day! :D  
**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own GMW.**

* * *

 **Title: Boredom II  
Pairings&Characters: Maya, Lucas  
** **Genre: Friendship, Humor, AU  
Rating: VERY High T for Talking Like Pervs... Still  
Summary: Lucas and Maya pass notes in class. Again.  
**

 **Warning: If you decide to look anything up, just... nsfw, okay?**

 **Bold is Lucas.** _Italicized is Maya._

* * *

 _hey huckleberry_

...

...

...

 _hey huckleberry finn_

...

...

...

 _get it? cuz we're discussing it in class_

 **I get it**

 _and i call you huckleberry_

 **Yeah got that.**

 _hurrhurrhurrhurrhurr  
_

 **Do you ever pay attention in class?**

 _hmmm nah. not really my thing_

 **You know, this whole don't care about school thing is going to come back and bite you in the butt one day**

 _and when that day comes, i'll make sure to tell you so you can say i told you so_

 **Forget it…**

 _:D_

...

...

...

 _nice job answering that question. very refined_

 **Bye Maya**

 _oh c'mon. don't you want to have a flirtation filled, fun conversation with me?_

 **No**

 _how offensive heehaw! why not?_

 **Last time I did, we got detention**

 _and it was great!_

 **It was not. My mother gave me the lecture of my life**

 _that wasn't my fault_

 **It was your fault!**

 _definitely wasn't my fault_

 **Yes it was.**

 _no it wasn't_

 **Yes it was.**

 _no it wasn't_

 **I refuse to be goaded into some childish argument.**

 _then by default, i win ;P_

 **I am so done with you.**

 _awwww but huck  
_

...

...

...

 _man, you're really on top of things this class! furman really likes you  
_

 **Pay attention! These questions will be on the test on Monday, and I know you didn't read the book.**

 _settle down sundance. i'll just stop by your place this weekend to study_

 **I'm going out of town this weekend**

 _what? where?_

 **Texas remember? I'm visiting my dad  
**

 _shit... i forgot_

 **I knew you would**

 _let me borrow your notes over the weekend then_

 **No way. I need them to study.**

 _c'mon ranger rick. help a struggling student  
_

 **No. Last time I let you "borrow" my notes, they ended up torn up beyond belief and had chili stains on them!**

 _man… that was a good day_

 **Maya.**

 _alright. sorry. but does that mean you want me to fail then?_

 **...no.**

 _:)_

 **I'll make photocopies after class.**

 _i could kiss ya_

 **Please don't**

 _hehehehehe_

...

...

...

 _hey whats the answer to the question he just asked? he's gonna call on me_

 **How do you know?**

 _i haven't answered a question all class_

 **So?**

 _so... around this time is when teachers try to get me to participate by calling on me  
_

 **Well that's not my problem.**

 _c'mon huckleberry!_

 **No!**

...

...

...

 **See? You didn't need my help.**

 _actually, i searched it up on my phone just now_

 **...why do you even bother coming to school?**

 _because it's the only time i have the pleasure of bugging you_

 **So then what you're saying is: you come to school to see me ;P**

 _i really hate how you twist my words_

 **I can play the game just as well as you, shortstack.**

 _you're getting too good at this_

 **Oh I'm sorry. Does it bother you?**

 _one day, you will be broken by me  
_

 **Can't wait ;)**

...

...

...

 _missy wants to borrow your bio notes this weekend_

 **I'll make a photocopy.  
**

 _zay wants to borrow your bio notes too_

 **Okay…**

 _so does billy. and riles  
_

 **Why do people keep wanting to borrow my notes?!**

 _because i told them you were loaning them out for five bucks_

 **What? You're charging people to borrow my notes?**

 _they're damn good. i need to capitulate on this opportunity_

 **I don't know what's more messed up with that sentence: the fact that you bothered  
using a vocab word for the first time ever or the fact that you're CHARGING people for MY notes**

 _it doesn't have to be a single person scheme. you want in on this action?_

 **No.**

 _we can split the loot 75/25. 75 for me ofc_

 **First off, it should be 50/50 to be fair. And second, if anything, I should be the 75 since they're my notes!**

 _so does that mean you want to be a part of this extortion ploy?_

 **This is wrong.**

 _5, 4, 3, 2..._

 **You're really annoying, you know that?**

 _i'm waiting…_

 **Fine. yes.  
**

 _friar and hart are a team once again!_

 **Don't you feel bad about taking advantage of our friends like this?**

 _no  
_

 **Don't know why I bothered asking…**

 _i don't either_

...

...

...

 _hey. why is everyone writing?_

 **We have a writing assignment due by the end of class.**

 _what? when was this announced?_

 **Just now. Have you not been paying attention this whole time?**

 _look, i don't know why you keep asking these questions because the answer is always going to be the same_

 **Good point. Bye.**

 _no! help what's the assignment_

...

...

...

 _ranger rick_

...

...

...

 _hey ranger riiiiiiiiiick_

 **Stop. We're not doing this again. I'm trying to focus**

 _at least tell me what we're supposed to write about_

 **You didn't even read. How are you even planning on finishing it up?**

 _sparknotes_

 **Yeah okay. Good luck with that**

 _don't be an ass sundance. just tell me what the assignment is_

 **Compare Huck Finn and The Awakening**

 _the awakening? what the hell is that? some scary movie?  
_

 **It's the first book we read this year! Seriously, why do you even come to school?!**

 _damn. i guess i can't write this assignment_

 **Yeah, you think?**

 _guess i'll just copy off of the farks_

 **Don't cheat! You'll get in trouble!**

 _now has that stopped me from doing it before?_

 **Maya, don't.**

 _awww is the wittle cowboy worried about me?_

 **YES!**

 _it's nbd. chill out  
_

 **I don't want you to get suspended!**

 _why do you care?_

 **As annoying as you are, you're my friend. And I care about my friends.**

 _...fine, i'll see if i can find something on sparknotes. but only because you asked nice_

 **Thanks Maya**

 _yeah, yeah. damn huckleberry_

...

...

...

 _yo  
_

 **You've barely written any words on your paper**

 _i will, i will_

 **And leave me alone so I can finish mine!**

 _i played something pretty fun online_

 **Why are you playing games? Finish your assignment.**

 _telling me over and over to write it won't do anything. i thought you would have realized it by now_

 **Two minutes.**

 _what?_

 **What's this stupid thing you're playing? I know if I don't listen you'll be a pain in the ass. So two minutes**

 _hah! i prevail once again_

 **1 minute 53 seconds**

 _it's a 'would you rather' sexual edition quiz!  
_

 **0 seconds. And we're done here.**

 _hey! i had a good min 45 left!_

 **Not anymore. I'm writing my paper**

 _oh c'mon. it's fun_

 **No. It's PERVERTED. And that's why you like it.**

 _you just pick which thing you'd rather do then at the end, it tells you how perverted you are_

 **Not interested**

 _you can even play with friends to find out how you stack up against each other. zay found it just now  
_

 **Why am I not surprised.**

 _he surprisingly got 12%. he's totally not a perv at all  
_

 **But you are Maya**

 _like you're one to talk porn boy_

 **Porn Boy? That's a new one…**

 _yeah, you think i don't know how you learned about all those sex positions?_

 **Well, good luck with that.**

 _just admit it_

...

...

...

 _you watch it_

...

...

...

 _admit it_

...

...

...

 _you know you watch porn. there's nothing to be ashamed about._

 **I don't watch it. Go away Maya**

 _i don't believe you. just admit it_

 **Seriously, leave me alone**

 _you're blushing behind me!_

 **I'm not.**

 _i can hear your blush hopalong_

 **That doesn't even make any sense!**

 _but you watch porn_

 **Stop it.**

 _agree to disagree then_

 **I swear, this is the last time I'm sitting behind you.**

 _c'mon cowboy. play the quiz_

 **I don't want to. Let me write in peace for once!**

 _if you won't play to find out how much of a perv you are, play to find out if you're more perverted than me_

 **What? There's no question about it. I'm definitely less perverted than you**

 _how do you figure that?_

 **Because you're you!**

 _and?_

 **You're always talking about sex and making lewd comments!**

 _but you stare whenever my shirt rides up when I stretch_

 **I do not!**

 _plus there's your secret stash of dirty magz_

 **I do not have a secret stash!**

 _in your room? of course not. your mom will find them. but in a secret hiding place on the other hand..._

 **I don't have dirty magazines.**

 _you're a fifteen year old male_

 **That doesn't mean anything. Besides, I don't need this. There's no way I'm more pervy than you.**

 _by what proof? ;3_

 **…alright we are so betting on this**

 _mmmm i like the sound of that. i win, you have to do all my homework for a week_

 **That's against school rules  
**

 _you win, i'll give you a free lap dance. non sexual._

 **That's not funny Maya.**

 _why? because i got you excited?_

 **NO.**

 _bet you were really looking forward to that for a second_

 **You know what? Bet off. I can't deal with you right now**

 _hahahahaha i'm jk. how about the winner has to treat the other to a date of their choice?_

 **Sounds fair**

 _yeah?_

 **No gimmicks?**

 _nope_

 **Alright. I accept. What are the questions?**

 _cool. would you rather have a finger or tongue up the ass?_

 **Yeah… I'm not answering that. Bye.**

 _hey!_

...

...

...

 _c'mon man! live a little!_

 **What the hell kind of question is that?!**

 _just pick one! it doesn't matter if you wouldn't ever do either!_

 **Fine. Finger.**

 _would you rather screw someone on a public beach with one person watching or in your bedroom with 20 ppl watching?_

 **Bedroom**

 _wow. 20 ppl?_

 **Sand in my ass? No thanks**

 _hahahaha! okay. oral in the back of a taxi or in the crowded subway?_

 **Subway. Less risk of someone seeing**

 _debatable. but okay. lose your virginity in front of your parents or your whole school?_

 **School definitely.**

 _seriously? you're brave_

 **No. Having sex in front of my parents would be brave**

 _hmm. would you rather get douched upon or crapped on during sex?_

 **Wtf. Is this seriously a question?**

 _yeah. i know…_

 **Douching. But only because the other option is absolutely disgusting  
**

 _sex on the wall or sex on stairs?_

 **Stairs**

 _cowgirl or doggy?_

 **Cowgirl**

 _fully clothed or a la nude?_

 **Fully clothed**

 _hold up. you'd rather have everything covered? what, are you self-conscious or st?_

 **What would I have to be self-conscious about? Have you seen me? ;)**

 _...wow._

 **I just think sex with clothes is more appealing. It's hot**

 _ooookay_

 **Don't judge! What did you pick for this question?**

 _a la nude for sure. it's more open. wouldn't feel like some affair or tryst_

 **Hmmm good point.**

 _Changing your answer?_

 **No. I still think fully clothed would be hotter.**

 _alright. sex with a totally submissive partner or totally dominant?_

 **I guess dom**

 _is being a sub a turn on for you, huckleberry?_

 **You know I don't have to keep playing.**

 _relax i'm just yanking your chain. screwing in the middle of a bar during happy hour or in an airplane seat of economy class?_

 **Uh, happy hour**

 _sex with one person in the same position every time or sex with a new person in a different position every time?_

 **One person.**

 _don't you think that would get boring after a while?_

 **There's lots of ways to make full use of a single position. Besides, I'm a one gal type of guy.**

 _awww aren't you adorbs_

 **Did you pick the other one?  
**

 _nah, picked the same_ _  
_

 **oh okay**

 _a virgin until you're 40, and then have great sexual partners for the rest_  
 _of your life, or have great sexual partners until you're 40 and then never have sex again?_

 **That's a tough one.**

 _isn't it though?!_

 **The first one**

 _you'd be willing to wait that long?_

 **It beats dying without having sex for forty plus years. Besides, you don't have sex as a  
kid, so it's not like being a virgin until 40 is all that terrible  
**

 _hmmm touché_

 **What's the next question?**

 _would you rather watch endless porn with your partner but never touch each other or reenact a dirty novel on each other only once?_

 **Porn.**

 _of course you would choose that_

 **Alright. I'm working on this assignment.**

 _hey stop! you can't just stop in the middle of the quiz!_

 **Watch me.**

 _i was just playing sundance_

 **Doesn't make it any less annoying.**

 _but i wouldn't be me if i wasn't annoying_

 **Still… there's not that much time left in class. Let's continue another time. We have to finish the assignment.**

 _plz don't be a buzzkill_

 **I'm not being a buzzkill! I'm trying to get good grades in this class**

 _i'll call you mad dawg for the rest of the school day_

 **Today?**

 _yeah_

 **…...proceed.**

 _on top or bottom?_

 **Bottom**

 _would you rather have sex with someone in front of 20 of your closest friends or send out a sex tape to 100 strangers with your face blurred?_

 **The sex tape one.**

 _what happens if all 100 figure out it was you?_

 **That's not what the question asked though, is it? ;)**

 _okay, that's a good point. new crazy, kinky sex for a whole month or passionate, romantic sex for a week?_

 **Kinky**

 _would you rather get caught banging someone by your mom or dad?_

 **Holy shit. I can't even begin to decide.**

 _c'mon huckleberry. pick one_

 **What was that?**

 _what_

 **Don't you mean "c'mon Mad Dawg. Pick one."**

 _...no._

 **Say it or I'm gone.**

 _fine. c'mon mad dawg. pick one._

 **Good girl**

 _pick one!_

 **Caught by my mom  
**

 _hahaha! she'd probably make her stay for dinner and then ask if she was interested in marrying you_

 **urgh... I know… But that's still better than my dad catching me.**

 _alright last one :)_

 **Finally…**

 _no sex for a year or no masturbating for a year?_

 **No masturbating**

 _you're courageous. what happens if you can't find any partners for your needs?_

 **Again… have you seen me?**

 _...really ranger rick?_

 **You mean Mad Dawg**

 _NO  
_

 **Say it or I'm writing this essay and ignoring you.**

 _i really should have thought this through..._

 **Yes, you should have :P**

 _alright. let me see what your score is. wish the wifi here was faster  
_

...

...

...

 _your score was 69%_

 **And what was yours when you took it?**

 _31%_

 **Bullshit.**

 _no, actually :) guess you're not as morally inclined as you thought you were, eh moral compass?_

 **There is no way I got a score significantly higher than you! How do they score these things anyway?**

 _awww are you mad, baby?_

 **YES. THIS IS AN INJUSTICE**

 _not so much an injustice as an exposure to your true nature_

 **I just don't understand…**

 _you're a pervy teenage boy. and i win! you're taking me to that nifty oldies theater tonight.  
it's hitchcock week and tonight at 11:30 they're playing north by northwest_

 **That's it?**

 _and you're treating me to your homemade pizza. best pizza i've ever had since johnny's in brooklyn closed down_

 **Huh.**

 _what_

 **I thought you were going to make this date thing living hell for me**

 _while i did contemplate that, i figured i would have more fun if you weren't bitching the whole time  
_

 **Well then. Much obliged ma'am**

 _urgh… i can literally imagine you tipping your stupid fake cowboy hat_

 **So what time are you coming over? I have practice until 6:30**

 _i'm helping my mom out at the bakery until 6. so 7 ish?_

 **Works for me.**

 _alrighty then! it's a date_

...

...

...

 _hahaha guess what?_

 **Can I at least get a paragraph done?! Just one paragraph. That's all I ask!  
**

 _just checked the quiz results again_

 **Let me guess. You lied to me about the results?**

 _no. it says we're sexually compatible ;3_

...

...

...

 _hey_

...

...

...

 _chill out  
_

...

...

...

 _don't be mad huckleberry_

...

...

...

 _don't be mad "mad dawg"  
_

...

...

...

 _it was just a joke_

 **In poor taste, really.**

 _but we got opposite and equal responses. i think you know what that means_

 **That I should stop talking to you, because clearly you're deranged?**

 _*waggles eyebrows* that we should... you know..._

 **I swear if you say what I think you're about to say, I'm ignoring you for the rest of the day**

 _mr. 69% would think the worst_

 **You implied it!**

 _i was going to say we should get everyone else to take the quiz too so they can figure out how compatible they are with each other_

 **...I'm having a hard time believing that statement.**

 _haha suit yourself mr. 69%  
_

 **Whatever Maya**

 _so? should we tell everyone about the quiz too?_

 **Sure. Go for it**

 _well except pumpkin_

 **Oh yeah. Not Riley.**

 _she must be protected until second semester bio_

 **Maybe we should start warning Mr. Matthews about the impending doom.**

 _give it a couple months. wait until we start the chapter and then tell him_

 **You're having way too much fun with this.**

 _you know it_

...

...

...

 _admit it_

 **Admit what?**

 _that you watch it_

 **I don't!**

 _you think i believe that crap? you're too sexually aware of things_

...

...

...

 _oh c'mon. don't get mad_

 **I'm not mad. I'm trying to finish this assignment**

 _are you for real? there are seven minutes left of class_

 **That's why I'm trying to finish it!**

 _there's no point anymore. accept your fate_

 **I can try to get out a paragraph at least**

 _it's a lost cause_

 **I refuse to give up!**

 _cheating is starting to look pretty good right now, eh mad dawg?_

 **Cheating is never okay.**

 _awww lookit you lucas the good_

 **Dammit stop passing me notes! I'm trying to work**

 _good luck with that  
_

...

...

...

 _hahahahahahah! you're screwed. he's picking up the papers in 30 secs_

 **What happened to giving students until the end of class to finish stuff?**

 _furman is an ass, remember_

 **I'm so screwed…**

 _pass your papers to the front he says. give it here_

 **You're enjoying this too much.**

 _of course I am_

 **This is your fault**

 _whatever helps you sleep at night_

...

...

...

 _hah! nice. three sentences._

 **You're one to talk! You didn't write anything at all.  
**

 _but see furman expects that out of me. you fucked up  
_

...

...

...

 _well, looks like i'll be seeing you after school in detention to write this paper_

 **Meh… honestly could've been worse**

 _we still on for tonight?_

 **Yeah. 7 right?**

 _yupp!_

 **Okay**

 _i can't wait!_

 **You really like the pizza that much?**

 _no dude. i can't wait to try to find your hidden secret stash of dirty magazines_

 **And there's the bell. This conversation is so over.**


	20. Unexpected Attraction

**Alright folks! In order to force myself to write, instead of take naps after class hahah, I'm officially kicking off the LOVE AND WAR MARATHON! Which means I will be updating every day with the previous requests from all you lovely, wonderful people (and some other goodies) until I am finished with them all :) It's about time I got off my lazy butt and got this request thing up and running. (Some of them, I might combine or tweak a little based on the nature of the request, but I hope they are satisfying nonetheless!)**

 **On queue : Guest request for mentioned scene from Practice Makes Perfect! (I promise it's next Guest!)  
**

 **So be prepared! And get excited! *throws confetti into the air* o(〃＾▽＾〃)o  
**

 **Enjoy! Thank you for all the wonderful reactions to each one-shot! And thank you for the sweet, sweet compliments! You guys are the greatest! :D  
**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own GMW.**

* * *

 **Title: Unexpected Attraction  
Pairings&Characters: ****Lucas, Riley,** **Maya, Brandon, Lucaya, Rucas (Friendship!), Briley/Branley (if you squint _real_ hard), Rebelz (Braya? Brandaya?)  
** **Genre: Romance, Friendship, Humor, AU  
Rating: T for Too Much Allure  
Summary: Riley sets up a double date and it does not go the way she planned.  
**

 **Request by crookedcheshire for a one-shot with Brandon! Thank you for your request and being so patient with me! (Here's the first: passive Brandon)  
**

 **And request by StarsAndSparkles for Lucaya/Briley double date scenario :) Sorry it took me so long to write this, but Happy Early Birthday! :)  
**

* * *

"Lucas I need a favour."

Lucas turned to Riley with a raised eyebrow, pausing in sorting his dirty laundry into various machines. She was sitting on the machine next to his, legs dangling off the edge and a pensive look on her face.

"Yeah, what's up?"

"Well…" she dragged out the word, staring at her fuzzy socked feet for a moment. "I have this friend."

Lucas frowned, setting down his detergent and sighing. He and Riley used to date back when they'd first met when they started college a few years ago, but quickly realized they fit so much better as platonic friends. Ever since they had broken up, she'd been trying to set him up with various friends on dates. Dates that never ended well or got anywhere past just a few casual meetups here and there. All the girls Riley would try to set him up with just weren't ever his type.

"Riley…"

"Wait no! Don't get the wrong idea." She shook her head, the ends of her bob flapping against her cheeks. "I swear I'm not trying to set you up with her or anything. It's just that my best friend decided to go out with this guy she met at her school. And they've kind of been talking for a while, but she's doesn't want the date to feel like a real one. So she wanted me to double up with her."

Riley picked at the loose thread of her dad's old college sweatshirt. "And I was going to ask another friend to go with me, but he had to cancel because of some mock trial thing, so he's no longer available. The date is tomorrow though and I don't know who else to ask. Can you go with me?"

"I don't know Riley…" Lucas hesitated. He had really been hoping he could spend tomorrow evening catching up on some lost sleep. "I kind of had plans."

"What plans? Because I know you're just going to nap." Riley corrected, giving him a stern look for trying to lie to her. "Lucas. You owe me, remember?"

And Lucas groaned. He knew she was going to bring that up. He'd ruined one of her date nights once when he'd walked in her dorm looking for a textbook he'd accidentally left. She would never let him live it down, despite the fact that it had been two years since the incident.

"Alright." He relented, shooting her a narrow eyed glare when she clapped her hands excitedly. "What do I have to do?"

"Just sit there and look pretty. If someone asks you a question, answer the question."

"So I'm just some eye candy now?"

"Sorry, Lucas." Riley apologized sheepishly, hopping off of the machine and picking up her basket of finished laundry from the ground. "We're only going to help Maya see if she works with this guy. But don't worry. I'm sure it won't too bad. I'll see you tomorrow, kay?"

"Yeah. See you."

"Oh one more thing, Lucas." Riley took a couple steps back so she could face him directly. "Maya has this unconscious thing where she's really magnetic sometimes. Just be careful not to get sucked into her orbit, okay?"

He scoffed. "That shouldn't be a problem."

Lucas had no doubt he'd be completely turned off by Maya Hart. Riley talked about Maya on occasion. From what she'd said about her behaviour and past antics, Maya sounded like a real piece of work. She seemed like the kind of girl who didn't give a crap about anything or anyone and dragged people along for the ride without any care for the consequences of her actions. It made him wonder how the hell Riley and Maya had even become such best friends in the first place. They seemed like they had very staunch differences that would make any friendship break apart.

Riley had better be right about the whole arrangement not being too bad though, because he honestly felt like this double date thing could end up being his worst college experience to date. Even worse than getting drunk at his first frat party and waking up with the worst hangover and pretty terrible images drawn on his face with sharpie.

Lucas sighed as he continued to sort his laundry, wondering why he always seemed to make friends with people who got him into crazy situations.

~.~.~

"Been a while since I've seen you." Maya said, wrapping her arms around Riley in a cheerful hug. "Man, I miss you so much."

"I miss you too!" Riley exclaimed, squeezing the life out of the petite blonde. "Maya, this is the Lucas I told you about three years ago."

"The ol' cowboy from Texas, huh? Maya Hart."

She turned to him finally, and Lucas almost felt his breath catch, as silly as it sounded.

The first time Riley had told him about Maya Hart, he had imagined a stereotypical "tough" girl with multiple piercings and a perpetual sneer who wore leather, chain smoked, and possibly had a brightly coloured mohawk.

No amount of preparation could have prepared him for meeting Riley's friend.

He'd gotten the leather jacket right.

But not much else.

He didn't want to get all ridiculous and "poetically" sappy about this girl, but she was absolutely, breathtakingly _gorgeous_. Everything about her just glowed in such a way that he couldn't take his eyes off of her. The tousled golden waves cascading down her back, the glittering, mischievous blue-gray eyes, the ruby red lips, her knock-out smile. He could tell she was rowdy from the way her lips were curved up into a treacherous smirk as she eyed him with interest.

 _Rowdier than a pack of mountain lions on a gazelle_.

She was dangerous.

"Does the cowboy speak?" she asked Riley with a raised brow, though her eyes remained locked on his.

"He does, as a matter of fact." Lucas responded, imitating her brow raise.

Her eyes flashed with something playful and dark, and Lucas found himself fighting not to get affected by her sultry gaze. And fighting to keep his thoughts from wandering into risky territory.

Oh yeah. She was definitely dangerous.

"Nice accent."

She snorted and finally turned away, waving to some guy who parked a motorcycle against the curb and climbed off. He approached Maya, smirking about something as she sauntered up to him and poked his chest mockingly.

And Lucas knew it was stupid because he had just met the girl not two minutes ago, but he couldn't help but feel a twinge of disappointment that their little conversation hadn't continued. (And if he really thought about it, some jealousy towards the other guy).

"That's Brandon. The guy she's trying out." Riley informed him. "They met when they both were doing community service for throwing a flaming bag of dog poop in someone's car."

So Brandon was rebellious like Maya. Lucas could see why they probably got along well. Probably very similar interests. But Lucas said nothing in response and only nodded stiffly, pretending like he was indifferent to all of this, though his eyes wouldn't leave the blonde.

"Come on, you two." Maya called out behind her shoulder as she and Brandon started walking inside the movie theater. "Let's buy our tickets and find seats."

Lucas and Riley followed after them, trailing behind quite significantly to give them some space. Their position gave him a pretty uninhibited view of Maya's backside. His eyes drifted down her form and he couldn't help but feel a spark of attraction at the heel clad legs that went on for miles and that tiny red dress swishing against her upper thighs and—

Riley elbowed him, leaning up and whispering harshly in his ear. "Lucas, you're staring."

"Sorry." he said, though he honestly didn't feel bad at all.

"You haven't been sucked into the orbit have you?" Riley asked in concern. "Because you literally haven't taken your eyes off of her once since she arrived."

"No. I'm good."

Total and complete utter bullshit.

He was stuck on her like a fruit fly on watermelon at a Fourth of July barbecue.

In a few short minutes, he'd managed to be completely captivated by this devious, blue eyed girl. And it was crazy, because he'd never been so attracted to someone in his life, and he had never thought it possible, but here he was.

Lucas wondered if he should pretend to go to the bathroom and ditch them and hail a cab back to campus because this was already starting to look like one big headache. But Riley looped her arm through his as they followed the two, and he knew there was nothing he could do now.

~.~.~

Somehow, by some twist of fate (or a stroke of luck, really), Lucas ended up next to Maya at the movie theater. And directly able to catch the scent of her peach scented lotion and that spicy little perfume she had spritzed on herself. Lucas had to physically force himself to keep his eyes on the screen and not on the tiny vixen on his left.

They all hadn't been able to choose a movie, so they'd ended up going to see the new blockbuster horror movie recommended by the ticket clerk. Since it had started, Brandon had basically been glued to his phone in boredom, clearly indifferent to the movie, but Riley had shut her eyes tight and squealed every few seconds after peeking through her fingertips. Honestly, Lucas couldn't concentrate on the movie at all. But could you blame him? How could he, when this really attractive girl was sitting next to him unknowingly setting his mind on overdrive with each second-hand whiff of her scent that he caught.

Maya snorted in amusement when a character went off by herself to look for help, and Lucas found himself glancing at Maya. She was biting her lips to hold back her laughter. Those very sexy, slightly pouty red lips…

Despite Riley's warnings to him to just sit and look pretty, he couldn't help it.

He leaned over, resting his arm on the arm rest between them. "What's so funny?"

She shook her head in mirth. "I swear, the characters in these horror movies are all so predictable."

"Oh yeah?" he asked, "How do you figure?"

"I know exactly what's going to happen." she yawned in boredom, "The ghost thingy is going to go after that girl. She's going to hear noises. Cue stupid gasp, staring in the direction of the noise, and then something will move superfast. She'll freak and start running back towards her friends. But in her panic, she'll have made the wrong turn, and she won't find them. She'll hear something behind her and start running, looking over her shoulder in horror at something grotesque that we can't see instead of facing the front because duh, she could easily run into a fucking tree. And will she think to scream to get some help from her friends nearby? Nope, not once. Not until she trips on _air_ and then gets dragged to her death."

Lucas rose a brow, chuckling and handing her his popcorn when she reached for it.

"And when the thing moves superfast, Riley is going to let out a little shriek and bring her knees up to her chest." Maya continued, picking up a handful. "See? Watch."

Lucas turned back to the screen. Sure enough, the girl on the screen heard a noise and gasped. And just as Maya had predicted, everything happened that she'd told him _exactly_ as she'd told him. Even Riley's reaction to the frightening scene.

"Not bad." He said, definitely impressed.

"Props accepted." She popped a couple kernels in her mouth. "Your turn. Who's going to be the next to die?"

"The guy with the baseball bat. He's got the most protection."

"Why not the kid?"

"Because he's the most annoying character, especially with all the screaming. He's definitely going to survive to the end."

Maya started laughing, and Lucas had to physically wrench his gaze away from her. Her laugh sounded like sweet, sweet music to his ears and seeing her nose wrinkle cutely as she laughed set his blood running hot.

"How do you think he's going to go?" she asked once she sobered.

Lucas watched the screen as the guy with the baseball bat went outside to try to get the generator to run some power in the abandoned house they'd all found.

"He's going to try to fight it. And he'll probably get a hit in, but then he's going to break the bat because his wild swings smashed it against the generator. And then the generator will break, thus making things conveniently more difficult for everyone else." Lucas said, a smirk on his lips. "And then he'll stare at the bat for a second and then the ghost. And that will continue for a few seconds. Riley's going to try to take a sip of her drink. Then he'll throw the bat away and try to fight the ghost. His hand will get stuck inside the stomach and he'll look horrified. Cut scene to the people inside, they'll hear his agonized screams. They'll all run outside like idiots, despite the fact that the danger _is_ outside and then they'll find his mangled body. And then Riley's going to spill her drink on herself in fright, say 'fiddlesticks' and leave to clean herself up and probably won't come back the rest of the movie."

"Inventive." Maya said, raising a brow. "Riley's reaction seems pretty specific though."

"I've seen a lot of horror movies with Riley." Lucas said simply. "Her reactions tend to stay the same."

"That they do."

The ghost thing reappeared, but had the bloodied face of the girl who had just gotten caught in the wooded area.

"Well." Maya said, a little surprised. "That's a plot twist."

"Probably the only one though." Lucas pointed out.

"Probably."

They fell silent and continued watching the scene, slightly holding their breaths to see if Lucas' prediction would come true. As expected, the guy with the baseball bat got attacked. He had one good hit in, but then he broke the bat, after which, there was that slightly comedic moment where both the ghost and him just kept looking at the bat and then each other. Riley reached for her drink slowly, wide-eyed and staring up at the screen in captivated fright.

"Nice." Maya said, snickering slightly.

And just as Lucas had predicted, the scene continued much the same way. And when the group had found the guy's skinless, mangled body, they both looked over to see how Riley would react. She didn't disappoint. Riley shrieked in shock and crushed her cup, spilling her drink all over her lap.

" _Fiddlesticks_!" Riley muttered. "Guys, I'm going to the bathroom."

Maya cracked up laughing as Riley stood up and left, until the people in front of them turned around to shush them loudly. She ignored them, slapping Lucas' shoulder lightly.

"You _nailed_ that one, Huckleberry."

"Huckleberry?" he said incredulously, turning to her in confusion.

She met his gaze, a secretive little smile on her face as she shrugged. "It fits."

He had no words to say to that and went back to watching the movie. He reached into the bag to grab some popcorn and his fingers tangled with Maya's when she did the same. He knew he had been thinking some pretty ridiculously cliché thoughts about her all night, but he was absolutely positive there had been a spark when they touched hands. Or at the very least, a jolt of electricity that ran through his arm, and he pulled it out so fast, he didn't even realize he had tossed out quite a few handfuls of popcorn. It hit the people sitting in front of them, and they turned around in annoyance.

But Lucas didn't notice. He was staring at Maya a bit in shock, wondering if she had felt it too. She was watching him contemplatively, the expression on her face a little hard to read. But her eyes were shining with something like heat, and for a moment, Lucas felt trapped in her gaze, unable to figure out what it was about this girl that had him acting like a prepubescent boy who was on a first date with his crush. Her gaze dropped to his lips for a moment before she finally turned away and went back to watching the movie.

Lucas took a deep breath, swallowing down what had just happened and trying to keep calm about it.

What the hell had that been about?

They didn't say much the rest of the movie, watching as ridiculous things kept happening to the characters because they weren't smart enough to use their brains. Lucas kept track of Maya's motions in his peripheral, trying to make sure he didn't reach for popcorn at the same time she did to avoid another accidental touch.

"She's about to go batshit crazy." Maya suddenly said, taking some sour patches out of the box she took from Brandon. "And then she's going to attack the ghost and end this mess."

"How do you know?"

"Please." She eyed him momentarily in amusement before facing the screen. "These types of movies always follow the same pattern."

His gaze remained on her profile, contemplating the scene in anticipation. From the way the lights from the screen were hitting her eyes, they looked almost clear. And then she blinked and looked at him with a smug, triumphant smile.

"Called it."

Lucas was confused for a second and then finally brought his gaze back to the screen where the main girl had indeed grabbed the axe and was on a rampage, slashing the air and trying to get the ghost.

"Now she's going to get it stuck in the wall and the ghost will almost have her, but she'll use the knife she hid behind her in her pants and kill it."

"But it's a ghost." Lucas argued. "It's not going to die like that. It's going to come back."

"Come back?"

"No doubt, this is intended to have sequels. The lead girl just graduated college. The sequel will probably be something like her paranoid adult life and the horrors she remembers from this. And then just when she starts to think she's gotten over it, Ghosty comes back and ruins her life once again."

Maya stared at him, "You know, that actually sounds like the exact type of shitty sequel they'd make."

The movie ended as they both had predicted, with the ghost evaporating with a loud cry. The girl grabbed the kid (still annoying as hell until the end) and they trudged out of the house they had set on fire to stereotypical daylight and police finally arrived to control the situation. As the movie ended, the screen panned back to the interior where the clothes of the ghost thing were no longer in the place where they'd been left.

The lights cut back on as the credits rolled and people began to slowly trickle out of the theater to the eerie music in the background. Lucas stood up, following behind Maya who followed Brandon out of the theater. She loudly stretched her arms high above her head and Lucas forced himself to keep his gaze on the back of her head and not down.

"For a blockbuster film, that was pretty lame." She said to Brandon.

"Didn't watch any of it." Brandon said, still looking bored out of his mind.

"Oh right." Maya teased, rolling her eyes. "I forgot you don't _do_ movies. Because you're too good for the drivel from the norms of society."

Brandon smirked and went back to texting, and Maya slowed her gait until she was walking beside Lucas.

"Hey Ranger Rick. What was your favourite part?"

"Ranger Rick?" he snorted, "What is up with you and these nicknames?"

"They fit." She said simply, as if it answered every question in the world.

"Alright, S _hortstack_." He replied, subtly eyeing her legs. Even with the heels, she still barely came up over his shoulders. He had noticed that she was pretty petite when they'd met earlier, but standing next to him, he could easily see just how short she was. It brought a smile to his lips. It was cute.

Her grin turned catlike. "Touché."

The three waited in the lobby for Riley to finally come out of the bathroom after Lucas texted her that the movie had ended and it was safe to come out of hiding.

"So what was your favourite part?" Maya repeated, standing in front of Lucas and tapping her foot, waiting for a response.

"When Riley spilled her drink on herself." Lucas said with a grin.

"Okay, that was admittedly hilarious." Maya let out a snort, rolling her eyes. "But I meant in the actual movie?"

"I didn't really have a favourite part." He shrugged. "I wasn't really paying attention to most of it."

"Had your eyes on something else?" She teased coyly.

"Maybe some _one_." Lucas said, lowering his tone a bit and leaning closer to her.

Maya's blue eyed gaze grew a little fiery, her lips curling up into a slightly devious grin.

"Yeah?" She cocked a brow, matching his tone and taking a small step closer to him. "And who would that someone be?"

"Ahem!"

And they both turned to Riley, standing beside them with a frown on her face.

"Guys, we're supposed to get dinner. So let's go!"

And then Riley grabbed Maya's arm and pushed her away from Lucas and towards Brandon so they could get out of the theater. Maya laughed and walked next to Brandon, making some comment asking if he could count on one hand how many words he'd said all day.

Lucas was about to start walking when Riley grabbed his arm and stopped him.

"What are you doing?" she hissed.

"What do you mean?" he asked in confusion.

"I mean you and Maya." Riley said, emphatically waving her hand in the direction of the departing blonde. "You can't be sending out flirty vibes to her right in front of her date. He'll get the wrong idea!"

Lucas watched as Maya laughed at something Brandon responded with and then shoved him slightly. Lucas' eyes narrowed.

"I wasn't flirting."

"Yes you were. And really hard too." Riley eyed him. "This is the first time I've ever seen you come on to a girl so strongly."

"Sorry." Lucas said, only because he couldn't think of anything else to say.

"Just calm down a little, okay? I warned you if you weren't careful you'd get sucked into her orbit and you wouldn't be able to get out. Maya has that effect on people, you know."

Oh he knew.

He was already in Maya's orbit.

And he had it bad…

~.~.~

"So Maya, Brandon." Riley started, to get the conversation moving. "Do you often hang out?"

"When he's not breaking laws, yeah." Maya said, shooting him a grin.

Brandon rose a brow but said nothing, and Riley frowned, her lips forming a pout. Lucas could tell she was starting to get irritated with the lack of flowing conversation between the two of them. This was the third time she'd tried to get Brandon and Maya to have a more intense discussion, but for the most part, they remained lofty and full of little teasing and jabs. Or Brandon just wouldn't say anything. It was becoming quickly apparent to Lucas that Brandon wasn't much of a talker.

They'd all walked to the little pizzeria near the theater and were seated at a table two pairs on each side. Riley had forced Maya to sit across Brandon because she'd deemed it more romantic and had made Lucas sit next to Maya because she deemed it less conducive to easy conversation. Lucas honestly didn't understand where she pulled that logic from, but he'd done her bidding because she'd given him a death glare. Clearly, Riley was mad at him.

"So what exactly do you guys do when you hang out?" Riley grit out, trying again.

"Break the rules?" Maya said, chuckling to herself. "C'mon Riles. I've already told you this a thousand times."

"Well I forgot." Riley quickly said, a little flustered, "What kind of stuff do you do?"

Maya frowned. "Graffiti… You already know this."

"You vandalize city property?" Lucas said, a little appalled by the idea, "Ever stop to think about who ends up cleaning up your mess?"

"Mess?" Maya turned to him with a sneer. "My graffiti is a work of _art_. How can you discredit something you've never even seen?"

"It just seems wrong is all."

"Whatever, Moral Compass."

"What is it with you and these nicknames?" Lucas rolled his eyes. "I have a name you know."

"Oh you do?" she cooed derisively, resting her chin on her palm, "You know, if I recall correctly, you never actually told me what it was."

"You already knew it before we met." He responded with a frown.

"But _you_ never introduced yourself." Maya shrugged, "So I made up a couple names for you."

"Okay, fair enough." Lucas smirked. "Lucas Friar. Now we've been formally introduced."

"Yes we have, _Huckleberry."_ She smiled, completely disregarding using his name. "You haven't been in New York long, have you?"

"Is my accent really that strong?"

Lucas knew he didn't sound like a native New Yorker, but he was pretty sure his accent wasn't so thick that it was completely noticeable.

"You've got something of a twang. It's not that bad though." Maya said, "How long have you been here?"

"Since the start of college."

And then Riley jammed her foot into his shin and he cursed under his breath when his hand rammed against the table and his fork flew off and landed on the floor. He shot Riley a questioning look and she glared at him with narrowed eyes, her hand making a subtle motion for him to zip it.

"You should pick up the fork, Lucas." Riley near ordered.

"Right…" he responded, his jaw clenched.

Lucas stooped under the table, ducking down under the cloth to pick up the fallen utensil. He spotted it on near Maya's foot and moved to pick it up, when Maya suddenly uncrossed her legs and planted her heel clad foot right on top of it. His gaze was almost immediately drawn to her slender ankles and her smooth, sexy legs. He just stared at her legs in silence for a while, his mind tossing itself into the gutter. The only thing he could imagine now were those legs wrapped around his waist as he kissed her to oblivion against his dorm room wall.

"So Maya." Riley said from above his head. "How's your mom enjoying California?"

"Loving her life." Maya responded. "She can finally pamper herself now that I'm not her priority."

Lucas considered moving her leg himself, but when he moved his hand to gently prod her heel up, she slid her foot a little closer to herself. Lucas' eyes narrowed. Clearly she was watching him under the table. So she wanted to play, huh? That was fine by him.

"Are you moving in with her after graduation?"

"No. I'm going to rent an apartment here." She said, her voice projecting down, though he knew she was talking to Riley. She was waiting for his response to her little jab. "I love my mom, but New York is my home. I'd never be able to just get up and leave like that."

Lucas gently took her leg in one hand before lifting it up and picking the fork up. He set her leg back down and slowly, oh so slowly, let his hand trail down her leg for longer than was appropriate.

"Are you planning on living alone?"

"Probably not."

He took pride in the small goosebumps that rose up on her legs and the way she squirmed in her seat. With a smirk, he got out from under the table, making sure to keep his gaze on her legs, following them up until they disappeared under the skirt of her dress.

"You should probably try to find a roommate soon then."

"I should…"

Lucas slowly looked up and met her fiery, dancing eyes. She was giving him a pretty racy look, biting her lower lip flirtatiously. Which drew his gaze right to her damn kissable lips. And all he could think about was how much he really wanted to kiss her.

He got back into his chair, still holding eye contact with Maya.

"Maybe Brandon should be your roommate." Riley chirped. "Right, Lucas?"

"Are you purposely hitting on me, Maya?" Lucas growled.

"You've been checking me out all evening, Sundance." Maya smirked, "Just felt like returning the favour."

"Guys?" Riley said, in shock.

"Can you blame me?" He ignored Riley's appalled look. "When you showed up wearing that dress?"

"Awww…" she near purred. "Did it put thoughts in your mind?"

"It put an image," His eyes narrowed. "Of that dress _off_ of you and on my floor."

The smirk on Maya's face dropped, and she turned fully to face him, her blue-grays flaring with heat and desire. He held her gaze, feeling desire stir up within him. She was staring intensely at his mouth, not even trying to avert her gaze and he felt this pull towards her, like he just had to feel her mouth on his. He just didn't understand how he could be so physically attracted to someone in his life, but he was. She was sexy and witty and this unattainable, sharp tongued dangerous girl. And he wanted her.

"Fuck…" Maya said lowly, her breathing coming out a little more harshly than it was before. "I just want to screw you…"

That was all it took.

Lucas leaned over, wrapping a hand behind her neck and pulling her into a harsh kiss. She didn't hesitate whatsoever and immediately gripped his collar, reciprocating wholeheartedly and giving just as good as he gave. She slid her hot tongue in his mouth, and he almost groaned when their tongue's connected in a slow, sensual dance. It felt like he'd waited an eternity to finally kiss her and now that he had, he wasn't sure he'd ever be able to get enough of her.

And he could honestly say, this was one of the best dates he'd ever been on in his life.

* * *

Riley stared at her two friends in shock. She knew Maya was all gung-ho, jump head first into relationships, no problems going fast and burning rubber, but Lucas had definitely told Riley that he was prudent about hooking up with people on first dates. He usually tested the waters first, made sure he actually liked the girl and spent more time with her before he even considered sleeping with her.

This was a total mess.

They had ruined her double date!

Lucas and Maya were making out like crazy, not giving a damn about all the looks they were getting, Brandon wasn't saying a word, just watching them with an amused raised brow, and Riley was sitting there, completely at a loss for what to do.

This had definitely not been a good idea.

"Doesn't it bother you? You came on a date with Maya." Riley said, trying to at least make conversation and salvage whatever was left of this disaster of a double date.

"Not really." He responded with a shrug. "I mean, Maya's cool and all, but she's not really my type."

Riley nodded in understanding, still eyeing the two of them kissing each other fervently. They were _really_ going at it.

"Are _you_ bothered by it?" Brandon asked. "Your date's kissing another girl."

"Oh! Nope." She hastened to explain. "Lucas and I aren't together. We tried that. You know, the whole dating thing… but we didn't click like that. He's not really my type either."

"I see."

"Yupp." She responded, picking at the crust on her plate in boredom. She was definitely going to lecture Lucas and Maya later about ruining her perfectly planned and executed dates.

"So. Ever been to the top of Empire State?"

She turned to him with a slight shake of her head. "Actually no. You would think having lived here my whole life I would visit the top at least once, though. It's on my list of things to do before I turn twenty-one. Well, that and ride a motorcycle at least once just to experience it."

He nodded in interest. "I have a motorcycle."

"I saw." She smiled. "It's really nice."

They sat in silence for a little bit, both trying to ignore the couple sucking face across the table. Maya was on Lucas' lap now, dress bunched up almost completely on her hips, and it didn't look like they'd be stopping anytime soon. Riley was pretty sure they were all about to get kicked out any second. It looked like a group nearby had complained to a waitress and the waitress was going to go grab the manager. Riley mentally sighed. Why was it that whenever she went out with Maya, they always managed to get kicked out somehow? The night club when she beat up that guy, the fair when she hocked a loogie from the top of the Ferris wheel, the mall when she tried to jack a bunch of candy to name a few. And now this pizza place.

"Hey." Brandon said, eyeing her from the side.

"Yeah?"

"You wanna get out of here?"

"Thought you'd never ask."


	21. Paranoia

**Hey guys! I know this update was supposed to be yesterday, but long story short, I tripped on a curb and fell and fractured my ankle so I basically spent the afternoon in the hospital hopped up on some gas… And by the time Maman brought me home (with my shiny new cast! It's lime green! ^_^) I was exhausted and just couldn't find it in me to write because I was uncomfortable and my ankle was throbbing… So sorry about skipping a day :) I won't miss another one though!**

 **On queue : a. r. baskett's request for Bad Boy!Lucas (with a hint of Jealous!Lucas thrown in there)  
**

 **Enjoy! I appreciate the reviews! Thanks for the support! *blows slobbery, mushy kisses* :D  
**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own GMW.**

* * *

 **Title: Paranoia  
Pairings&Characters: ****Lucaya, Missy (cameo)  
** **Genre: Angst, Hurt/Comfort, Fluff, WAFF, Romance, Humor AU  
Rating: T for Terrified Maya  
Summary:** **"Remember when she swapped our condoms out with expired ones back when we were in college?"**

 **Same universe as Practice Makes Perfect.**

 **Request by Guest for Maya/Lucas pregnancy scare scene from Practice Makes Perfect! Thank you for your request :) I hope I did it justice!  
**

* * *

A broken condom.

She was in this situation because of a damn broken condom. All her plans would be derailed because of a damn broken condom. Her future turned inside out and upside down and twisted beyond recognition because of a fucking broken, expired condom.

Maya was going to kill her mom.

And then she'd find her in the afterlife and kill her again.

How could she do this to her?! Did she honestly think it was funny?

 _"So how is the boyfriend? Still a stud?"_

 _"I've been avoiding him…" Maya said honestly, staring at her cup of hot chocolate. "Something happened, and I kind of just want some time away from him."_

 _"You think you're pregnant?"_

 _Maya stiffened and frowned, slowly lifting her gaze to stare at her suspiciously jovial mother. In fact, she seemed like she knew exactly what Maya was talking about._

 _"That's an oddly specific guess mother." Maya said coldly, her teeth grit.  
_

 _"The condom broke, didn't it? Or at least it should have." Katy tittered excitedly, a wide grin on her face._

 _"How did you know?" Maya growled.  
_

 _"I swapped his out with expired ones!"_

 _"What?!" Maya glared at her furiously, her blood boiling in rage. "Don't talk to me. Don't even think about contacting me. We're through."_

 _"Aww Maya." She whined, reaching for her daughter's hand, "It was just a joke baby girl. And look on the bright side! If you're pregnant, then you'll have a baby to raise! And I'll get my first grandchild."_

 _Maya snatched her hand away and stood up abruptly, her chair scraping noisily against the ground. People in the coffee shop stopped talking, watching the spectacle with thinly veiled interest._

 _"What the hell is the matter with you?!" she shouted, "In what world is it okay for a mother to sabotage her daughter so she ends up pregnant?! I can't even_ begin _to understand why you would do that!"_

 _"Maya, c'mon—"_

 _"No! How could you?!" Maya snatched up her coat and her bag, her eyes burning with tears. "God, you are literally the worst mother ever…"_

Maya groaned, stuffing her face into her pillow and burrowing further into her covers. This was the worst day ever. She could very well be baking a bun in her uterus oven, she'd just developed something of a relationship with her mom after years of awkwardness only for it to crumble to pieces again, and Lucas thought she hated him because she'd blamed him for the condom mess.

This was ridiculous.

Maya didn't think she was pregnant, but it'd been a while since the Broken Condom Incident, and she was getting paranoid. She knew symptoms didn't start up as soon as possible, but she'd missed her period by a few days already and she'd been moody for a while and she was starting to get worried with each day that passed that her period still did not arrive.

Dammit.

Why did this have to happen? She and Lucas had only just recently started having sex and then the fucking condom had to break and ruin everything. She hated it.

There was a knock on her dorm room door, and Missy stood up from her seat at her desk, padding over softly and opening it.

"Is Maya in?"

It was Lucas.

Maya groaned under her breath, not entirely sure she wanted to see him. She'd texted him as soon as she got back that she wanted to talk, but she felt a little ashamed. She had seriously blown up on him and all but punted him out of her room after BCI had happened. She'd said some pretty nasty things to him too. He put up with her mistrust and her jadedness all the time, but she knew she had gone too far when he left, anger on his features and a wounded look in his eyes. Would he even forgive her?

"Yeah, but she's been curled up in a ball since she got back." Missy responded, "Whatever happened, it's bad. I'll let you guys talk this out in privacy…"

The door closed and then Maya heard Lucas walk around before he sat on the edge of her bed. He tugged on the blanket, and Maya gripped it tighter, curling further into herself to keep him from seeing her.

"Maya." Lucas said softly, "You wanted to talk?"

She couldn't see his expression, but even though they were technically in a fight, she could still imagine the concern and care on his face from his voice despite how terrible she had been to him.

"It's about that fight we had."

Silence.

"I'm sorry…" Maya whispered, her voice choking up a bit, "You didn't deserve that and you've been nothing but good to me, and I treated you like shit."

"You did."

She swallowed in fear at his words. Lucas was no pushover. She should have expected he would still be upset about it.

"I know, and I'm apologizing for my behaviour. Not just because I was a bitch, but also because I found out my _mom_ switched out your condoms with expired ones."

There was a pause.

"What?" Lucas said, sounding incredulous, "How?"

"I don't even know… But she told me at lunch today, and I left immediately and came here and the only thing I could think about is how terrible I was to you." Her voice cracked. "And you weren't even at fault and we haven't talked for a week because I blamed you when the one to blame was my mom. And I was scared you would want to break up with me."

"Maya, it's okay. I get it. Things are stressful. I don't blame you for getting mad at me." He sighed, gently setting his hand on top of her back. "But we're not going to break up because of something like this. I still care about you, you know. No matter how hard it is being your boyfriend."

The last part was said playfully, and Maya felt a smile creep onto her face, the first one in a while actually. Then she remembered she could be pregnant and it fell almost immediately.

"But now what? What happens next? What happens if I'm actually pregnant?"

"I take it you're probably going to go after your mom?"

"It's crossed my mind a couple times…" Maya growled, still raging over the fact that Katy had done such a despicable prank. She'd neglected Maya growing up, and now that she was finally involved in her life, she was pulling terrible stunts like this?

Lucas chuckled softly, rubbing her back to comfort her. "Maya, we'll figure it out together okay. We're both responsible for this mess; we both should be involved."

She remained silent, staring blankly at the darkness around her. Honestly, what would she do if she was pregnant? All the 'what if's' and 'what happens next' were scaring her and though Lucas was usually pretty damn good at keeping any of her heightened negative emotions at bay, his calm, soothing voice wasn't enough this time to quell her racing mind.

"Have you bought a test? Or taken one?" Lucas asked, apprehension in his tone.

"No…"

"Well then we should probably pick one up."

"Lucas, I'm scared to…" she finally admitted, her pulse racing. "I would have gotten one myself a week ago, but I just… I don't know…"

"That's because you tried to go on your own. Let's go get one together."

"Okay, but…" Maya chewed her lower lip. "Can we go later? Like, not right this second?"

"Tell you what. Why don't we take a walk or something and clear our minds a bit and catch up? It might help." he said, "Then we can hit up a convenience store on the way back."

Maya nodded, feeling somewhat more relieved that Lucas was there.

"Alright."

"Good." She could tell he was smiling. "So can I at least see my girlfriend's face? I haven't seen you in a week. I miss you."

Maya let out a little laugh and sat up from her bundle, throwing off her covers and meeting his warm gaze.

"Hi." Lucas whispered, cupping her face and resting his forehead against hers.

"Hey." Maya responded, biting her lower lip with a bashful smile.

He kissed her gently, and Maya felt butterflies flutter in her stomach. How the hell had she gone a week without Lucas? She'd missed this. She'd missed _them._

And then he pulled away, and his gaze dropped to her bed. His eyes widened in momentary surprise before a pronounced blush coloured his cheeks. Maya frowned at his alarmed expression.

"What's wrong?"

"You uh… you've got a… _leak_."

Maya looked down where his gaze had settled.

There was blood on her sheets.

There was _blood_ on her sheets.

"I got my period..." Maya said breathlessly. Then she laughed merrily and wrapped her arms around his neck, kissing him happily. "I'm not pregnant! I'm not fucking pregnant!"

Lucas just smiled and hugged her back as she laughed excitedly in his ear. She pulled away after a while with a deep breath and a serious look on her face.

"But I am definitely going on the pill now so I have back up support if my mom tries this shit again."

"That's good."

"And no more sex. Officially."

Lucas froze and rose a brow, looking a little confused.

"Wait, but you're safe."

"Yeah, but this whole mess makes me think we're going too fast." Lucas' gaze grew a little daunted, and Maya shrugged. "I think we need to slow things down."

"Slow things down." Lucas said a little incredulously, "We've _already_ had sex. You do realize that, right?"

"We're starting over." Maya said, "Beginning with no sex this coming summer."

He looked shocked.

"This summer? As in, the season where all you wear are tiny shorts and little sundresses?"

She grinned a little deviously.

"Let the Summer of Celibacy begin."


	22. Spontaneous Combustion

**Sorry everyone. Definitely not my best, but I'm a little sleep deprived today...  
**

 **On queue : Guest request for Farkle POV of Lucaya fight.  
**

 **Enjoy! Thank you for the reviews! You guys are the best! I love you! And thank you for the well wishes on my injury! I appreciate it very very much :)  
**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own GMW.**

* * *

 **Title: Spontaneous Combustion  
Pairings&Characters: ****Lucas, Maya  
** **Genre: I don't even know tbh... Suspense?, canon content, AU future  
Rating: T for Ticking Time Bombs  
Summary: What is that suspicious ticking noise? Why, it's Lucas Friar.**

 **Request by a. r. baskett for Badass!Lucas (but he's not really tbh... Sorry!). Thanks for the request!  
**

 **Inspired from Dozen and One Stars :3**

* * *

Tick.

The thing about Lucas was that most people thought he had endless patience. No matter how many times Maya got in his face and teased him or cracked jokes at his expense, he didn't react, nor did he get all that irritated.

The truth, in Maya's eyes, was that he was a ticking time bomb. And every frustration only added to his shortening fuse. While people thought he was gentle, the truth was that he would smile and tell them it was alright to their face and then tackle the shit out of someone at practice to relieve himself of the anger.

Maya had heard stories from Zay about Lucas' dangerous explosive temper and past and his relentless brutality for no reason other than some ass looking at him the wrong way, so she'd had speculations.

She knew he was patient and caring when he wanted to be. But she was a risk taker. And part of her just wanted to see him snap. Just wanted to see him blow up.

Tick.

It was intriguing, the idea of a human ticking time bomb. How long would it take for him to blow? What would it take for him to blow?

Back in middle school, before they had found out about Lucas' past, she'd always believed deep down that there was something about him that was off. Something that he was holding back, and she'd gone about trying to break him and set him off with mockery, though she'd failed every time.

She'd seen a little bit of that bomb when he threatened that guy against the lockers. But it was subdued. And he fanned out the flame before it could do any damage.

Tick.

Then she'd gotten a small taste of the bomb inside the boy in their earlier high school years.

Some douche bag senior had been sizing Maya up, talking shit about her mother, making comments about her being a MILF and what not. And when she hadn't responded to his jeers, he went after her, making crude comments about the skirt she'd chosen to wear for that day and what he wanted to do with her in the skirt.

Tick.

Before Maya had even stood up and assaulted him, Lucas had him on the ground, hand curled in his shirt and was looming over him dangerously.

"Apologize."

It was low; it was deadly.

(It was absolutely the biggest fucking turn on in her entire life).

Tick.

But he was controlled. He had a grip on the fuse and had staunched it before he could get that far. Especially since there was a small audience starting to gather.

And that was when Maya realized she had been wrong. Lucas' bomb was kept on a tight leash and he would never release it as long as his friends and people he loved and didn't want to disappoint were around. The bomb was never going to explode if it meant disappointing those he cared about. The old Lucas' bomb had been out of control, but new Lucas had been changed by the people he met, so that bomb was tucked carefully away, never to explode again.

Tick.

So she'd given up on her ploy to make him explode. He didn't seem to have the bomb anymore and although disappointing, there was no point in trying to figure out how to make it go off if it no longer existed.

Or at least… that's what she had _thought_.

Tick.

Somewhere along the way, their game had changed. What had started out as playful jabs and mockery turned into flirtatious teasing and attempts to derail and allure one another.

And she saw it.

The lit fuse.

Tick.

It fizzled out before she could really pay attention to it, but she knew what it had been.

A bomb.

A new one; one she had never seen before.

Tick.

She wanted to know what would make it explode.

And maybe she was playing a dangerous game, but part of her had an urge to break him. To make him explode, and if this was the way to do it, then so be it.

So she upped her efforts.

Tick.

She wore shorter skirts around him. She sat on his lap without prelude. She did whatever she could to redirect his attention to her lips. She talked about other attractive guys to his face.

And she knew the fuse was lit.

Tick.

But she hadn't realized just how short that fuse was.

In fact, she had assumed based on his typical patience, that this fuse would be quite long.

Tick.

She'd forgotten that this was a new bomb with different rules and a different explosion time.

A different fuse length.

Tick.

She went too far.

Tick.

A flash of heat from his eyes.

Tick.

Her breath was stolen from her lips.

Tick.

Spontaneous combustion.

 _Boom._


	23. You Know What They Say

**In case anyone was interested in knowing about this particular universe, the order (so far) goes Riley's, then Farkle's, then Auggie's, then Zay's. As I add more, I'll let you know where it falls in the time line :)**

 **On queue : xTwinkleLightsx request for Josh seeing the chemistry between Lucas and Maya!  
**

 **Enjoy! Hi everyone! I thank you wholeheartedly for the reviews! Thank you so much for all the kind words! I will get to answering them by the end of tomorrow, I promise! I'm just a little all over the place today trying to update a bunch of things, but I swear I'll get it together tomorrow! Love you! :)  
**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own GMW.**

* * *

 **Title: You Know What They Say  
Pairings&Characters: ****Farkle, Lucaya, Riley (mentioned)  
** **Genre: Romance, Angst, Humor, AU  
Rating: T for t-truce...?  
Summary: Curiosity killed the Farkle cat.  
**

 **Same universe as Here We Go Again.  
**

 **Request by Guest for Farkle POV of Lucaya fight! Thank you for your request, love! I hope you enjoy this! ^_^  
**

 **Inspired by Babine for being too curious for her own good :3  
**

* * *

"I am not talking to you, _Lucas_!"

"Great, then we're on the same page."

Farkle growled under his breath, gritting his teeth in annoyance as he shuffled through the reference materials on the bookshelf. Lucas and Maya were at it again. Arguing at the other end of the aisle about something stupid that he didn't care about, but definitely was starting to bug him. It could have been comical watching Maya hiss and glare up at Lucas like he was dirt under her boots when she was so much shorter than him, but as it was, Farkle was way too irritated to think anything at the moment was amusing.

"Guys, we're in a _library_." Farkle reminded them for the third time, rolling his eyes.

They ignored his comment and continued to argue, and Farkle walked around to another reference aisle. They were going to get scolded by the librarian for being too loud, and he was so not going to be part of that scolding. He had a good reputation to keep at the library.

He peeked out from behind the shelf, checking to see if the librarian had caught wind of the argument and was on her way to tell them off. But she was seated at her desk, nonchalantly reading what seemed to be a biography with a slight flush on her face.

(Yeah right. He suspected it was a trashy romance novel).

"You know, you are such a hypocrite sometimes, Maya."

"How? Am I not allowed to get angry now?"

"You do the exact same thing!"

Farkle groaned under his breath, knowing he was going to get a headache if they kept this up. Damn their teacher. She just _had_ to team Farkle up with the two lovebirds for the project. Don't get him wrong, he loved Maya and Lucas, but sometimes when they were together one of two things happened pretty frequently: they fought or they made out. Both of which made Farkle terribly uncomfortable in one way or another.

And unfortunately for him, it was one of those fight days. He didn't even know what had happened for them to be in such a fighting mood in the first place, but he was quickly getting tired of it. Farkle just wanted to get the reference books, check them out and leave. The sooner they got that done, the sooner they could finish their research project and the sooner he could distance himself from them. He didn't want to get caught up in another of their arguments anymore.

Farkle sighed, shaking his head in disdain. Leave it to Riley to make "Lucaya"—as she dubbed them—happen before its time.

This was just sad. He'd known for a while that the two liked each other but all this fighting was just a nuisance. He just didn't see the point of them being together if all they did was fight all the time. Riley had told him it was part of their natural order, but Farkle didn't get it.

"She was flirting with you!"

"It's not like I was reciprocating!"

"You clearly were! You think I don't know the difference between chatting and flirting?!"

"You are completely overreacting! Besides, if anyone is the flirt, it's you when you're with _Josh_!"

There was an abrupt silence and Farkle rolled his eyes again. And this would be the part where Riley would gather her books and force everyone away from Lucas and Maya for whatever damn reason. He never understood why Riley was always so adamant in making sure Lucas and Maya got their space. They were just fighting. They'd had lots of fights in the past.

"How could you say that?"

It was Maya who had whispered those words, sounding hurt. Lucas didn't respond.

Farkle welcomed the silence happily. It sounded like they were winding down the argument, which was fine with him. Farkle didn't understand why Riley would freak out and usher everyone away as quickly as possible whenever they got quiet. Peace and quiet was good.

He continued browsing through the reference books, searching titles and authors until he found what he was looking for. Now all he had to do was call frickin' Rachel and Ross over therem and they could be on their way.

"Lucas, Maya. I found the book we need." He called out, as loudly as he could to be heard without being too loud to disturb the peace and quiet in the library.

No response.

Farkle frowned. He was sure they were on the other side of the bookshelf. At least that's where he had left them. Why weren't they answering?

 _'Whatever you do Farkle, if their fight is over and done with, do not look for them.'_

He remembered Riley's warning to him earlier that afternoon and frowned. Is this what she had been talking about? Their whole lack of response? The obedient friend in him told him to leave it be. But the curious part of him wondered what this was. And above all, he wanted to know what it was that spooked Riley about their fights.

It was Farkle's nature to be naturally inquisitive, anyway. He'd just tell them quickly that it was time to leave and figure out the mystery behind Lucaya fights.

He walked back around to the aisle he had left them in.

"Guys, I found the–"

And Farkle dropped the book in his hand on the ground, eyes wide and surprised.

Now he knew why neither of them had answered.

Maya was pressed up against the bookshelf, Lucas' hands sliding up the skin of her waist, slowly rucking her shirt up with his fingers. She had her arms wrapped around his neck threading her fingers through his hair.

And they were all over each other, mouths fused together and heavily making out.

It was intense and definitely something private judging by the way Maya was arching into Lucas as if she couldn't get enough of his touch. It made Farkle impossibly uncomfortable.

It was highly inappropriate! This was the library for goodness sake! People _read_ those books! Did they have no sense of privacy to at least wait until they were in their room or something?

And then Maya sighed out Lucas' name against his lips and wrapped her legs around his waist when he hoisted her up.

And Farkle knew exactly what was coming next. He'd seen enough of their make out sessions during movie nights at Riley's to know. So he picked up his dropped book as fast as possible and spun on his heel out of the aisle. He went straight to the front desk, checked out his book, and left the library.

He would never disobey Riley's warning again. He'd learned a valuable lesson that day.

Curiosity killed the cat.

And now he would make sure he never got curious about the two of them again.

And he definitely had to find a new library.


	24. Speculation

**Hahahah! You guys have to stop requesting new stuff otherwise the waitlist is never going to end ^_^ Hi Bree! You're right! Farkle is OOC because I don't know how to write him lol! But I'm working on it! And LOL LoveThisVerse: Are you suggesting Farkle would be into voyeurism?! :3  
**

 **On queue : miaadventure request for Riley the Super Shipper :)  
**

 **Enjoy! Thank you for the reviews! I hope I've answered all of them by this point! If I forgot to answer you, I am so sorry! I'm totally having trouble remembering what I responded to :/ But regardless: thank you so much for the reviews and the lovely words and the well wishes for my ankle! You guys are a pleasure! :)  
**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own GMW.**

* * *

 **Title: Speculation  
Pairings&Characters: Josh, L** **ucas, Maya, Joshaya (one-sided), Lucaya (speculated)  
** **Genre: Friendship (?), Mystery (?), Humor (?), shit idk what this one is either, canon, AU future  
Rating: ******Low T/K+ for KUMQUATS! I HAD ONE TODAY AND IT WAS LITERALLY THE BEST THING I HAVE EVER TASTED IN MY LIFE (after mayonnaise of course ;P)  
** Summary: Josh is convinced there's something going on between Lucas and Maya.  
**

 **Request by xTwinkleLightsx for Josh introspection at seeing Lucaya chemistry! Thank you for your request, chérie! :3 (Sorry if it's cringe-y and stupid)  
**

* * *

Josh was confused.

Since she was in middle school, he'd always been under the impression that Maya Hart had a huge, raging crush on him. She was always flustered around him and clingy and trying to get him to notice her whenever he was around. Going into high school, she'd even dubbed herself girlfriend material for him and had started changing her way of dress to be similar to the other girls he dated.

So yes, Josh was absolutely positive Maya had some sort of feelings of affection for him (though he didn't think it was _love_ as she claimed).

Which was why he couldn't help but be confused at her relationship with the guy she called Huckleberry and Cowboy and Sundance and all the other strange names that he didn't understand. Not that he was upset about it or anything. In fact, he welcomed it, because it meant her attention was captured by someone other than him.

But he'd always seen Maya as this certain character. Super flustered, incredibly nervous and a little crazy if he thought about it. She was goofy and pretty awkward sometimes too.

So why was she almost completely different when she was around this guy?

~.~.~

The first time he'd noticed this was towards the beginning of his junior year at NYU.

Josh knew the two of them were pretty close friends. Riley had told him once Maya and the boy had gotten pretty comfortable with each other as the years had gone by. But when Riley had told him, Josh had assumed it was typical girl and guy friend comfortable. Maybe hang out a couple times or chill on a couch, but a certain amount of distance that made it obvious that they were just friends.

What those two were was something in an entirely different category.

He had come to visit Cory after his classes one afternoon and had found Riley, the goofball, and the kid with the weird name studying in the living room. There were five sets of textbooks, but he'd only seen three people. He didn't make much of it, figuring whoever was using those textbooks would probably come back soon.

"I'm using your bathroom, Riley." He called out over his shoulder.

"Hey! Don't use my cucumber scented soap! It's expensive!"

"It smells amazing. Of course I'm going to use it." he shouted back to an indignant huff.

Of course, maybe he should have knocked first, but it didn't really register in his mind.

He opened the door to Maya sitting on the closed toilet seat, texting on her phone and the guy friend of hers was… shaving her legs?

"Uncle Boing!" she exclaimed, her eyes lighting up and that excited, wide smile on her face.

"Maya, if you move, I'll accidentally cut you." The guy said.

She snorted as she faced him, her expression going snarky. "You're using shaving cream. If I get any cuts, I'm seriously going to question your shaving abilities."

Josh stood in the doorway in confusion for a while as Maya watched the boy drag the razor up her creamed leg.

"Soooo… what's going on here?"

She turned to Josh with an adoring smile, her eyes sparkling in that excited way they usually were when she addressed him.

"Oh, we made a bet." She said, as if that completely answered all the questions swirling in his mind.

"Okay…" Josh responded with a frown, wondering if he had missed something.

She turned back to the boy shaving her leg, leaning forward and observing a spot on her knees. "You missed a spot, Ranger Rick."

"Stop moving around."

She started laughing, and he gave her an annoyed raised eyebrow.

Josh didn't think much of the strange occurrence and just turned to use a different bathroom. Clearly they were in their own little strange world. Though he had found it pretty interesting how snarky Maya had gotten with her friend.

He'd never seen that side of her before.

~.~.~

One time, he'd gone to Topanga's to pick something up for his then girlfriend.

Maya and Lucas (he'd finally learned his name!) were sitting on the couch, staring in each other's eyes and talking about something regarding Maya's eye colour. He wasn't really listening, but he had found the entire interaction a little odd. Josh considered saying hi, but neither were paying attention to their surroundings, totally absorbed in whatever antics they were up to.

So he went to the counter to carry out his order.

Josh was just chatting with Katy about some of the courses offered at Tisch in case Maya was interested when his eye caught some movement in his peripheral. He glanced at the two teens on the couch and almost did a double take.

Lucas had his head tilted back, staring at the light on the ceiling and Maya was standing behind the couch, leaning over him, her hair tumbling down around both their faces. For a second, it almost seemed like they were _kissing,_ but then Maya ran her hand through her hair and tossed it onto her back and Josh could see that was not the case.

"You were right, Sundance." Maya smirked, still peering directly into his eyes. "You've got flecks of gold in your eyes."

"Told you." He said smugly.

So she had just been checking his eyes colour for whatever reason.

Still.

Josh found it weird that Maya got so close to Lucas' face in the first place. And Lucas wasn't moving away. Anyone else would get alarmed if someone put their face so close to theirs, but he was all chill about it, like he was used to it or he didn't find it uncomfortable in the least.

Riley came out of the restroom, chattering about something animatedly, and Maya retook her seat next to Lucas, picking up her drink and listening to Riley's ranting. Things went on as if that little moment hadn't just happened.

Josh just found the whole interaction strange.

Especially Maya's ease with Lucas.

~.~.~

By the end of the semester, Josh was spending a lot of time chilling at Cory's after work. His brother's home always had food, and he much preferred real food to campus food.

By this point, he was well aware that Riley's friends frequented her apartment, so it wasn't surprising when he came in to Lucas and Maya in the kitchen goofing off at the stove.

"You guys making cookies?" Josh asked, opening the fridge and pulling out some stuff to make a sandwich.

Lucas nodded. "Riley's having a bake sale tomorrow."

"Cool."

"You want to be the taster of our first batch?" Maya asked, that slightly smitten grin on her face when she turned to Josh.

"Sure, I'm game."

"Alright. Should be done any second now."

Maya went back to helping Lucas make the batter. She laughed every time she spilled something and Lucas let out an exasperated huff at her carelessness. Nothing out of the ordinary to Josh. The timer went off for the cookies, and then Josh heard Maya's heels clicking to go check on them.

And then he heard her promptly curse under her breath.

It was a pretty foul word, and Josh looked over his shoulder at her in surprise. He'd never heard her say anything like that before in all the time he'd known her.

She was sucking on her finger, her brows furrowed in slight pain.

"Maya, I told you to use gloves." Lucas fretted, walking over to her to check out the injury.

"I'm fine, Huckleberry." She rolled her eyes.

"You need to run cold water over it. Sucking it's not going to do anything."

"It's not that big a deal."

"Put it under cold water." he pressed, a frown on his face.

"I don't need to." she argued, "Chill."

" _Maya._ "

"Ranger Rick."

She smirked up at him, her finger still in her mouth and a defiant twinkle in her eyes.

Josh assumed that would be the end of the match of stubbornness and their standoff, but then Lucas scooped Maya up and tossed her over his shoulder, and she let out an alarmed yelp, legs flailing.

"What the hell! Put me down!"

"Not until you promise to run it under cold water, Shortstack." He said, a playful smile on his lips.

"Really Huckleberry?"

He didn't respond.

"You are so annoying."

"You know, I could just keep you up here all day."

" _Fine_." She stopped struggling and rolled her eyes. "I'll put it under cold water."

He smiled triumphantly and set her down. True to her word, she let her finger sit under the water while giving Lucas a dry, irritated look.

"Happy?"

He tipped an imaginary hat at her. "Very much so, ma'am."

She cut the water and rolled her eyes at him. "And I suppose now you want to kiss it to make it better?"

"I could." He teased back, taking her hand in his. "If you want me to."

"Don't you dare!" Maya laughed, trying to snatch her hand out of his, but Lucas wouldn't let go. "Stop! I'll throw this batter at you!"

At that point, Josh felt that their interaction had become something else entirely. In fact, if he thought about it, it looked like they were flirting. He finished making his sandwich and left to go watch some TV, a confused frown on his face.

Yeah.

They had definitely been flirting.

Later, Lucas left for some dinner thing with his mom, and Maya hopped onto the couch next to Josh, curling up to him happily, and he wondered if she even knew how different she acted with the two of them.

Did she even know she had been flirting with Lucas in the first place?

~.~.~

The night of a big baseball game, Josh had come over to watch a game with Cory and some of Riley's friends. There were a lot more people than room on the couch so Lucas and Maya had opted to sit on the floor.

When Josh had gone to the fridge to grab a soda, there had been at least an Auggie-sized distance between them as they watched the game. But when he came back, he noticed that Maya had shifted and was now laying her head on Lucas' shoulder. Under normal circumstances, Josh wouldn't consider that particularly romantic, but Lucas had his arm wrapped loosely around her waist. And Maya was playing with the fingers of his hand, holding her palm against his and observing the (fairly large) difference in the size of their hands.

"Hey, is there something going on between Lucas and Maya?" Josh whispered to Cory, hoping his brother wouldn't read something else in his question. He was curious, that was all.

"Nope." Cory said, gaze still trained on the game on the TV, "Just good friends."

Josh frowned but didn't say anything. Even when Lucas' fingers slipped in between Maya's and she didn't move her hand.

Good friends Josh knew weren't like that.

He couldn't help but think there was something distinctly non-platonic between the two of them. And it wasn't the first time he had seen them that way. He wondered if either could even see the lingering glances between them or Lucas' eyes softening whenever Maya spoke. Or the look Maya would get in her eyes whenever Lucas walked in the room.

Normally, he wouldn't notice something like that.

But the look Maya would give Lucas was plenty different than the look she would give Josh. It wasn't sparkly eyed obsession.

He didn't know quite what it was, but he knew whatever it was, it was not a look that platonic friends would give each other.

~.~.~

By the end of his busy junior year, he had all but forgotten about the two high schoolers who left him confused.

He was climbing the familiar stairs to the landing of his brother's complex when he heard some hushed voices and muted laughter.

Something told him he shouldn't make himself seen quite yet, and he stopped before he reached the landing and peeked around the corner of the wall.

Maya and Lucas were standing (quite closely together) in front of the door.

He didn't know what had been said, but clearly, judging by Maya's raised brow and her hand curled into his collar and Lucas' teasing smirk, they were flirting with each other.

The position they were in could also be considered _threatening_ in some way, but the thing was, there was something charged in both their eyes. Something definitely electric in their gazes, and Josh had to blink a couple of times to make sure he hadn't just imagined it.

But in the next moment, Maya snorted and let him go, and they both turned to walk into the apartment.

When Josh walked inside a few seconds later, Maya greeted him enthusiastically, like she hadn't just been in someone else's face close enough to kiss them. It confused Josh. He just couldn't really reconcile the Maya he had seen around Lucas with the Maya in front of him.

The Maya Josh knew was usually a nervous wreck, but the Maya he had seen around Lucas was someone cool as a cucumber, unaffected by anything, and clearly had no problems getting physically close to and subtly affectionate with Lucas.

And he wondered why that was.

And so, Josh became convinced that there was something between the two of them, even if no one else seemed to think so.


	25. Miles Apart

**Hi Lily :) My favourite I've written in this compilation is a tie between Stuck/Whoops/Playing With Fire. My favourite Lucaya one shot I've written overall is All For You though (it'll always have a special place in my heart because it was my first Lucaya fanfic ever and first angsty piece ever). Thanks for asking! :D**

 **First wave of requests finally complete XD! Second wave will begin on Thursday! Tomorrow's update will be something special for you all ;3  
**

 **Enjoy! Shout-out to all of you for being such sweet, caring and wonderful people! I thank you kindly for every review, every kind word, everything you all have done for me! You're all the best :)  
**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own GMW.**

* * *

 **Title: Miles Apart  
Pairings&Characters: L** **ucas, Maya, Lucaya, Riley  
** **Genre: Romance, Friendship, Hurt/Comfort, AU  
Rating: ******T for Trying To Run  
** Summary: _"Can_ _miles truly separate you from friends... If you want to be with someone you love, aren't you already there?" ~_ Richard Bach  
**

 **Request by miaadventure for Riley as a huge, obsessive Lucaya nut.**

 **Inspired by a conversation with LovingMyLucaya about Riley having an accidental big mouth and miaadventure for the situation! Thank you both for giving me the idea for this one-shot! :3**

* * *

 _"Maya. Can I talk to you for a second?" Lucas jogged over to her with a breathless smile on his face._

 _Katy smiled at Lucas, and then kissed Maya's forehead one more time before walking towards where Riley was being photographed by Shawn._

 _"Don't you have a crap ton of pictures to take with your thousands of relatives, Huckleberry?" Maya joked, trying not to think about how cute he looked in his graduation robes._

 _"I know. I do." He took off his cap and scratched the back of his head. "I just… I needed to say something. It's graduation, and I know you're going to Annecy with Riley for the summer, but I couldn't wait until you got back to tell you."_

 _He smiled softly, taking her hand in his._

 _"I know you're going to school here in New York, and I know I'm going to be in Texas, but it's been six years since I met you and about three of those I've spent wishing we could have been something more."_

 _Shit._

 _And suddenly, she knew exactly what this was._

 _"Wait, Lucas–"_

 _"Maya, I like you." Lucas said, and Maya stiffened in shock. "I really do. And I've wanted to be with you since sophomore year. But you've been with one guy after the other and I missed chance after chance and I waited too long to tell you, but I'm telling you now. I want to be with you. And I can't help but feel like deep down, you want to be with me too."_

 _She averted her gaze, hating the way his eyes were watching her like she was light in his dark and dreary world. She could feel her face burning red and her heart was pounding in her chest._

 _"Don't you have anything to say?" he implored earnestly._

 _"I…" She looked up and met his gaze, wanting to tell him the truth, but she couldn't. She pulled her hand out of his, trying to ignore the way her heart hurt when his hand fell against his side dejectedly. "I can't give you an answer."_

 _He frowned, looking a bit confused. "Why not?"_

 _"I just can't, okay?" Maya snapped, glaring up at him. "Why did you have to be an idiot and confess?"_

 _"So I'm an idiot now because I care about you and wanted you to know?" Lucas growled, his fists clenched in irritation._

 _"You're an idiot because you couldn't keep your damn mouth shut!"_

 _"Maya, I just told you I wanted to be with you!" He snapped, a bit of hurt creeping in his gaze, "If you don't want to be with me, just tell me you don't want to be with me. Don't make up some bullshit saying you don't have an answer!"_

 _"I said I don't have an answer for you! Stop trying to twist my words." Maya ran her fingers through her hair in exasperation. "Look, Riley's coming over here. So can we please just pretend this conversation never happened?"_

 _He stared at her incredulously, his jaw clenched and eyes glinting angrily._

 _Fuck, it was just her luck that Lucas would ruin this day because he couldn't keep his damn feelings to himself. No one had asked him for the confession! Why did he have to go and ruin it all?!_

 _"Guys! I'm trying to get all our friends together to take one of those cool black and white throw the cap in the air pics since we weren't allowed to do it at the ceremony. Shawn's going to take it!" Riley said excitedly, "How does that sound?"_

 _"Just peachy." Lucas grit out, still glaring at Maya._

 _Then he spun on his heel and stormed away, leaving Riley there totally confused, and Maya closing her eyes with a sigh, knowing that things had really gotten messed up._

 _Dammit._

* * *

Maya sighed and plopped face first onto her bed, looking at the calendar she had finally put back on her wall after bringing it with her to Annecy. Every day had been crossed off leading to the circle she'd put around tomorrow.

There was a knock at her door and it opened shortly after, Katy popping her head in and glancing around until her eyes landed on Maya's limp form on the bed.

"I didn't hear you get in." Katy said with a smile. "Just got back?"

Maya nodded, noncommittally grumbling in her pillow.

"I take it you're not going to unpack tonight then?"

"Too tired…"

Katy chuckled, "Alright, baby girl. You can tell me all about France tomorrow. Oh, and Farkle called earlier today. Told me to remind you to get to Riley's by eight so you all could get to the airport on time."

"Right…" Maya said, staring at the calendar on her wall.

"Lights off?"

"Please?"

Katy laughed a little and turned the lights off in Maya's room. Maya knew she had to change and take off her dress and at least the heels on her feet so she wouldn't wake up with foot cramps, but she was utterly exhausted. After she and Riley had gotten back, Maya had had to take a long taxi ride from the airport back to her mom's apartment.

Annecy had been incredible. A truly eye opening experience for her, especially since she'd had all the time in the world to check out the Conservatory for Art and History and speak to local artists in the art scene. She'd even gotten a chance to participate in some interesting public art events. And the four years of French definitely helped.

But she was _exhausted_ now and she planned to sleep the last two weeks of her summer vacation away, getting over the jet lag.

Well… after tomorrow anyway.

Maya sighed and closed her eyes temporarily, wishing she could just not show up, but she knew Riley wouldn't let her, and Riley would probably hunt her down if she dared to stay at home.

As if on cue, her phone started violently vibrating in her hand, and Maya picked up, already mentally preparing for Riley's bubbly, excited manner of speech.

She didn't disappoint.

 _"So Lucas is leaving for Texas tomorrow morning. You'll be there right?"_

Urgh. How the hell was Riley still able to have so much energy after that long, tiring flight and ruined sleep schedule when Maya was clinging helplessly to the dregs of her slumber?

"I'll be there." Maya muttered, "But that won't happen if I don't get any sleep tonight, which I won't because you're on the phone talking to me, honey."

 _"Sorry. It's just, I can't believe he's really going, you know? We're not going to see him for four years."_

"He's going to visit us all during the summer." she said, though she felt the same way.

 _"But he's basically going to live in Texas now. There's really no real reason for him to come back."_

Maya looked at the calendar again, falling silent and wishing they could talk about _anything_ other than Lucas Friar.

 _"Unless, you know…"_ Riley said slowly, a little conspiratorially, _"There's something here that will make him want to come back more often. Or, you know…_ Someone. _Like a certain blonde girl with gorgeous blue eyes."_

"Riley, I know where this is going. And I don't like it." Maya said, sitting up to tug off her heels.

 _"Maya, you never even responded to his confession. Maybe if you told him you liked him back—"_

"I can't."

 _"—he wouldn't be so dead set on never really coming back to New York."_

"Riley, I already told you I won't tell him."

 _"And I already told you I won't stop bugging you about it until you do!"_

"I'm going to bed Riley."

Maya hung up the phone, peeling both of the pinchy, circulation-cutting-off pumps and tossing them haphazardly somewhere in her room. She sighed and laid back down on her bed, the source of her troubled thoughts pervading her mind.

Lucas was leaving for Texas.

And then she probably would never see him again.

She ran her hands through her hair anxiously. They hadn't spoken all summer, and last they'd seen each other, before she and Riley had left, they couldn't even look each other in the eye. This was going to be the most unbelievably awkward goodbye she'd have to go through in her life.

And the worst part was, she didn't _want_ to say goodbye.

Her phone buzzed again, breaking her train of thought, and Maya narrowed her eyes as she checked the caller ID.

"What do you want?"

 _"Did you respond to his confession yet? Did you tell him you like him back yet?"_

"No Riley. Stop asking."

 _"You need to tell him soon!"_ Riley ignored her. _"Otherwise you'll miss your chance and he'll fall in love with some other artsy girl with sparkling blue eyes and blonde hair and a sharp tongue!"_

"Riley enough. I'm going to sleep."

And Maya ended the call, rubbing her temples in annoyance. She knew it was a bad idea to tell Riley about the confession. She'd told her on the plane ride back from France after the weight of holding the secret on her shoulders all summer just got to be too much and since then, Riley had relentlessly continued to suggest Maya tell Lucas the truth.

But Maya refused.

She didn't see any reason to.

She wouldn't say a word.

Her phone vibrated again, and Maya answered it, knowing immediately what Riley was going to say before the words came out of her mouth.

 _"Did you tell him yet?"_

"Riley, go away."

 _"Maya, c'mon! He's leaving tomorrow!"_

"Well aware."

 _"Are you really going to miss this chance? He could be the love of your life, Maya!"_

"Yes I'm going to miss this chance."

 _"I just don't understand. Why?"_

"Okay first of all, Lucas will be gone for college. Why would I tell him I like him when he's not even going to be here?"

 _"But long distance relationships, Maya."_

"Not worth it."

 _"Why not?"_

"It's just not."

 _"But I still don't understand why you can't just tell him that you like him!"_

"Riley, he's not going to be here." Maya repeated slowly. "What am I supposed to do? Sit here forever until he comes back?"

She was silent for a spell and Maya mentally cheered, hoping that she'd been deterred. But then Riley piped up again after a few seconds.

 _"Still Maya. Are you really going to let him go without knowing your true feelings?"_

"Yes."

 _"I don't agree with your decision."_ Riley huffed.

 _"And I don't care."_ Maya said as sweetly as she could to her best friend, _"Goodnight. And stop calling me."_

She hung up once again.

Then Maya unzipped the side of her dress and slowly peeled it off her body, grimacing at the thin layer of sweat that had made it cling to her form. She slid it down her legs and then tossed it, glad she couldn't see the colour of her dress in the darkness of her room.

It was the colour of his eyes.

That swirling sea-foam green with the soft ring of bronze around the pupil. Eyes she'd stared into so many times that they were engraved in the recesses of her memory. Eyes that made her feel like she was floating on clouds. Eyes that made her feel loved, like she was the only important person in the world. Eyes that made her dreams that much more enjoyable.

She sighed dejectedly and settled under her covers, pulling them up to her chin and staring at the odd shadows cast on her ceiling through the window.

Maya wanted to tell him. She really did. But she'd meant what she said on graduation day. She _couldn't_ tell him.

He was leaving.

What was she supposed to do? Tell him she liked him and then get her heart broken when he left and would be gone for four years? She refused to be that girl pining and moping around in her dorm because her boyfriend was miles away, and she could only see him once or twice in a semester. She wouldn't be able to live like that.

She liked him too much to be able to live like that.

It was the reason why she hadn't accepted his confession a few months ago. She didn't want to spend the rest of her college years yearning for him to be around (which wouldn't happen) and missing him (which was inevitable) and wishing to be near him at all times (which couldn't come true).

Sure, not telling him how she really felt was tearing her apart, but it was better than him knowing and still not being able to physically be with her.

Maybe it was a stupid reason, but Maya was selfish. And things regarding Lucas made her vulnerable.

She was going to keep it to herself no matter what.

And she'd forget about him in the future and all would be well in her world.

Her phone buzzed again, and Maya picked it up, knowing full well that Riley was projecting mental ring power to force her to answer the phone. And she could not physically ignore the call.

Damn their telepathy.

"Riley, I'm trying to sleep."

 _"Did you tell Lucas you like him yet?"_

"No."

 _"Did you tell Lucas you like him yet?"_

"No."

 _"Did you tell Lucas you like him yet?"_

"No."

 _"Did you tell Lucas you like him yet?"_

"No."

 _"Did you tell Lucas you like him yet?"_

"No."

 _"Did you tell—"_

"Goodnight Riley."

Maya set her phone on her dresser and snuggled further under her covers. So maybe she wasn't going to say a word about how she felt, but Lucas at least deserved some sort of closure.

She would respond to his confession and end whatever this was once and for all.

It wasn't worth the heartache.

~.~.~

"There are a lot of people, huh?" Maya muttered under her breath, rubbing her hands up and down her arms to clear away the goosebumps. It was cold as hell in this airport.

To say Maya was nervous as she waited for her turn to say goodbye to Lucas was an understatement. They had acquired a lot of friends over the years, adding to their already tight-knit group and pretty much everyone had come to say goodbye to Lucas. He wouldn't really be coming back to New York in the next four years, so this was basically the last chance to see him. Of their close friends, he was the one who was going the farthest away for college. Even Smackle, who had been accepted to every Ivy League school, had decided to stay local and go to Columbia.

Maya watched Lucas chatting with some friends from the baseball team and laughing. After not seeing or speaking to him all summer, it felt a little weird to be there. It wasn't like their relationship had been completely wrecked, but it wasn't like they were okay. She felt awkward, like a stranger to him, even though they'd been friends for years.

He looked pretty happy though, and a small smile came to her face.

She would really miss him.

Despite the mess of their relationship right now, she still would miss the days they spent on the roof of her apartment, Lucas chatting about the more shitty things in his life while Maya drew the sights on the street below. Or the emergency convenience store runs at four in the morning for ice cream. Or the hangover mornings they spent cuddled up in each other's beds, wallowing in their mutual misery. Lucas was her best friend, and there really was going to be a gap in her life when he was gone.

And then his gaze lifted, and his eyes met hers across the group of people around him. They held each other's gaze for a few moments, Lucas' expression revealing nothing. With a tight swallow, Maya turned her back on him, facing Riley with a nervous smile that came out as a grimace.

"Want to go shopping after this?" Maya asked Riley, if only to distract herself from the odd little moment.

Riley gave her a blank look, unaffected by her attempts to divert attention from the fact that Lucas was about to leave.

"Did you tell Lucas you like him yet?"

"Riley."

"Did you tell Lucas you like him yet?"

"No."

"Did you tell Lucas you like him yet?"

"Asking me over and over isn't going to—"

"Did you tell Lucas you like him yet?"

" _Riley_."

"Did you tell Lucas you like him yet?"

"What?"

A deep, distinctly male, and very _Lucas Friar_ voice cut into their conversation.

With a sharp intake of breath, Maya spun around in shock. Lucas was standing behind her, looking surprised out of his mind. Riley slapped her hand over her own mouth with wide eyes, a small oops escaping her lips.

"Well now I don't need to…" Maya muttered.

Lucas hadn't been the only one to hear. Apparently, he'd walked over to them and most everyone else had followed him over. Everyone was staring at her, similar looks of surprise or excitement on their faces. No one was talking, just waiting to see what she had to say now.

Maya's cheeks slowly burned red.

"Maya?" Lucas asked, a small, slightly hopeful smile on his face. "Is that true?"

She chewed on her thumb nail in silence, staring up at him as her pulse slowly skyrocketed. She didn't want to be put on the spot like this! Maya wanted to run. She wanted to turn around and get away from all of this. What the hell was she supposed to say?

"You know... this would be the part where you tell him." Riley said in her ear.

"Riley, stop." Maya said, taking a slight step back away from him. Lucas was waiting patiently for her response, his sea-foam gaze a little wistful.

"Alright Maya." Riley said, "I'll stop."

Maya felt her shoulders untense and relax a bit and she tried to think of how she could get herself out of this situation without completely destroying everything.

And then Riley shoved her abruptly forward.

Maya stumbled right into Lucas, and he caught her by the shoulders to hold her steady. She looked up in alarm and tried to break away, but he kept her close, his grasp on her shoulders preventing her from cutting and running.

"Now kiss her Lucas!" Riley exclaimed, pulling her phone out of her pocket.

"Riley, stop it!" Maya said over her shoulder, flustered and trying not to inhale Lucas' amazing scent too deeply.

She was so sure she was the colour of a _tomato_ by this point. When she glanced up, Lucas was just watching her, waiting for her to calm down a bit. She was so sure he could hear her heart hammering in her ribcage, threatening to fly out.

"Okay, I don't know how much you heard, but it's not what you think."

"So Riley lied then?" But his eyes were twinkling in mirth, like he knew she was trying to escape the issue. "You don't like me?"

"I never said that." Maya responded, gasping softly when his hands slid down to her waist, and he pulled her slightly closer.

"Then which is it?"

"...I..."

"Just tell me the truth, Maya."

"...I like you." she said quietly, her voice almost dropping down to a whisper.

"Do you want to be with me?" he asked softly.

"I don't know…" She curled her hands into the fabric of his shirt, looking away from his warm green gaze.

"Maya, yes or no."

She wanted to. She desperately wanted to, but she didn't want to be apart from him. A thousand miles was too far a distance.

"I want to. But you're not going to be here. And I don't want to be with you if it means I'm never going to see you—"

Without a word, Lucas lifted her chin up and kissed her softly.

For a moment, for just a moment, Maya's mind shut down and all she could hear was the pounding of her heart in her ears.

But then her eyes fluttered closed, and she sighed into his mouth, pushing up on her toes and clutching at his shirt. He held her tightly to him, kissing her slowly and lovingly, chills running down her back at the warmth from his body. It was a kiss so sweet and so mind-numbing she didn't know how she would be able to let him go.

He pulled slightly away, smiling gently in that way that always made goosebumps rise on her arms. She gazed up at him through half-lidded eyes, trying to get back her stolen breath from the rush.

"Lucas…"

"We can still be with each other you know. Even if I'm not around."

"How?"

"We'll figure it out." He tucked some loose hair behind her ear, cradling her cheek. "We always do."

She couldn't help but be skeptical, but there was something in the expression in his eyes, sincere and affectionate, that made her believe him. That made her believe they could make it work. She nodded, a small smile forming on her lips.

"Okay."

He smiled and leaned down again, capturing her lips in a warm kiss that sent electricity racing through her veins. Maya happily wrapped her arms around his neck, deepening the embrace.

The people around them were cheering like crazy and making a lot of noise even though they were in the middle of an airport, but Maya couldn't care less. She'd wanted this for so long and now that she had it, she wasn't sure how she would make it with such a huge distance between them.

But he was right.

They would figure it out.

They always did.


	26. Treading On Thin Ice

**Alright! Time to get cracking! So Love and War Marathon will officially be ending with this second wave of one-shots so if you have any last requests at this time, let me know now :) After I publish tomorrow's one-shot, any subsequent requests will be stored for later but won't be published during the marathon wave. So any last requests?  
**

 **On queue: A Hopeless Romantic's request for Topanga introspection!  
**

 **Enjoy! I appreciate the reviews! Thank you for putting up with my one-shots! I promise I will respond to reviews tomorrow after classes let out! Thank you for always being the lovely supportive people you are! :)  
**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own GMW.**

* * *

 **Title: Treading On Thin Ice  
Pairings&Characters: ****Lucaya  
** **Genre: Romance, Humor, Angst, AU  
Rating: Mid-High ******T for Turn Ons  
** Summary: She meant what she had said. It was war. She wanted to embarrass him. She wanted _revenge_.  
**

 **Sequel to Playing With Fire.**

* * *

"I caught you." Lucas said, tugging her forward so she was closer to him. "What's my prize?"

"Hmmm…" she said teasingly, slowly wrapping her arms around his neck, bringing herself close enough that she could feel the warmth from his body, but not close enough to touch. Her face was right in front of his, their lips barely touching, breath mingling together in the tiny space between them. "You were hoping for something perverted weren't you?"

Lucas didn't reply, only holding her gaze with slightly narrowed eyes. In the darkness of the lake, they looked looming and almost dangerous. It excited her.

Maya glanced down at his lips, "What exactly did you have in mind?"

"How far are you willing to go?" he said, his voice pitched low and eyes smouldering.

 _~Earlier that evening~_

Maya waded languidly in the water of the lake, a smirk on her lips as she waited for Lucas to arrive.

She knew he would.

She had left a note in his tent a while ago to meet her at the docks.

Their group of friends had wanted to do something spontaneous and fun for spring break so they had taken a trip further up north to go camping. The weather had just recently started to get warm, so they'd wanted to capitulate on the opportunity before some storm came by once again and knocked the temperature back to low thirties.

When midnight had fallen and the dark, heady sky was only illuminated by the stars, Maya made her move. While everyone had been at the campfire, she'd left the group citing she was going to bed early, but the truth was, she'd snuck away to take a little dip in the lake. She'd changed into her bikini and then she'd shed her clothes on the dock and hopped in, swimming out as she waited for him.

Maya heard shuffling on the dock nearby and saw a silhouette walking toward the water through the darkness. It wasn't close enough that she could make out any distinctions of who it was, but she knew it was Lucas.

"Maya?" Lucas called out, "Are you in the water?"

"Yeah." She responded and then saw him approach the edge, the creaking of the dock letting her know where he was standing.

And then he stopped walking.

"Are these your clothes?" he asked incredulously as he stooped down to see what it was he had stepped on.

"Come skinny dipping with me." she said, splashing a little in the water, but making sure her entire body was still covered in the water.

He let out a long breath, but didn't move.

"Maya, what the hell are you doing."

The pitch of his voice was a little lower than it had been though and Maya grinned. She could just imagine his face, jaw clenched and eyes narrowed at her.

"I'm waiting for some cowboy to come catch me."

"What?" he near growled.

"Take a risk." She purred, ducking under the water and swimming a little bit further from the dock. She felt like a water nymph. "Take off your clothes. Hop in."

Maya saw him straighten, but other than that, he didn't move. He was silent for quite a spell, just facing her as she moved about in the water.

"…I don't think I want to." he finally said.

"How about an incentive?" she said playfully, "I swim around. If you catch me you get a _prize._ And keep in mind, I'm not wearing any clothes~"

She knew it was a clincher. Maya wasn't oblivious. She knew exactly the change in the way Lucas had been looking at her recently. It was like a switch had been flipped in him, and Maya had a feeling part of it had to do with that little stunt she'd pulled on him at the clothing store. By tempting him with her underwear, no doubt, she had redirected most of his thoughts towards her of her _without_ underwear. Or clothes.

It exhilarated her.

"And all I have to do is catch you?"

She felt a sting of electricity shoot straight between her legs at the tone of his voice.

Oh, she had him.

"That's what I said."

The sound of a zipper rang through the air as she lightly treaded about in her area. She heard the plop of something soft hitting the deck and when she turned her head, she could just make out the figure of a masculine body approaching the water. Too bad he was too far away for her to see clearly.

"You coming in or what, Ranger Rick?"

He stepped off the dock, splashing into the water, and Maya smirked before ducking down herself and swimming away in another direction. She popped only her head back up and looked around. She found Lucas further away, a bit closer to where she had been before. He was pretty fast.

"Over here, Sundance." She called out, laughing to herself.

And then she ducked down into the water again when he dove under and swam further out, but not too far because now the water was approaching neck deep for her. She popped back up out of the water and found Lucas searching for her where she had been originally. She splashed a little of the water and he turned her way before sinking back underneath.

This time, she stayed where she was.

And she waited.

Maya felt him moving in the water before she saw him, but then he stood up in front of her, just high enough so they were face to face. He took her wrist under the water, and she could just make out the dangerous smirk on his lips through the starlit night.

"I caught you." Lucas said, tugging her forward so she was closer to him. "What's my prize?"

"Hmmm…" she said teasingly, slowly wrapping her arms around his neck, bringing herself close enough that she could feel the warmth from his body, but not close enough to touch. Her face was right in front of his, their lips barely touching, breath mingling together in the tiny space between them. "You were hoping for something perverted weren't you?"

Lucas didn't reply, only holding her gaze with slightly narrowed eyes. In the darkness of the lake, they looked looming and almost dangerous. It excited her.

Maya glanced down at his lips, "What exactly did you have in mind?"

"How far are you willing to go?" he said, his voice pitched low and eyes smouldering.

She felt a shiver run down her back at the implication of his words. She contemplated taking up his offer. How hard would it be to just close the gap between them and kiss him? They were out in the lake and no one was there to see them. It could be their little secret.

Maya knew she wanted it. And she knew he could give it to her right. It could also solve a lot of the tension that always seemed to be lingering between them. They _could_ take care of it there and then.

She brought her gaze back to his eyes, pupils dilated and his expression heated.

But what would that solve?

She wanted _revenge_ , not a hook up.

Maya smirked and leaned into him until her lips were pressed against his ear, her chest just barely touching his. She felt the muscles of his shoulders tense.

"Pretty damn far, _Mad Dawg_ …" she whispered.

Then she removed her arms from his shoulders and under the water, slipped off the tube bikini she had still been wearing, letting it float up to the top. Then she submerged herself under and swam away from him towards the dock.

When she touched the wood, she pulled herself up and climbed out of the water. Lucas was still standing in the same place in the water, looking back at her in slight confusion.

"I thought you said you were naked?" Lucas called out, staring at the bikini floating in front of him.

"I am now." Maya said simply, slipping on the dress she'd left on the dock before tilting her head and wringing out her wet hair. Then she bent and scooped up Lucas' clothes and the pair of boxers he'd left with a wily grin.

"Have fun walking back to camp without any clothes on. Hopefully no one will _accidentally_ be woken up when you get back." She stated cryptically.

Lucas laughed. "Well played, Shortstack."

"Ball's in your court, Huckleberry." She tossed over her shoulder as she walked off the dock.

Lucas grinned, eyeing her from his place in the water as she sauntered away with his clothes.

God she was sexy…

He was so going to get her back.


	27. Heartbreak

**Just to clarify: Love and War isn't ending :) I've got too many one-shots I still need to write. But the Update-A-Day marathon will be ending so I can have some days to focus more on my other stories too (and so I can focus in class because I basically don't take notes anymore hahaha) :3 But I'm not anywhere near through with this collection yet! As I said, this will continue to be updated until Lucaya gets together ;)  
**

 **Also** **jennnnnnyyyyy hi! Your request cannot be added in this compilation because the cap for rating is T, at most Borderline M lol, but you're asking for a smut fic lolol! I can write it and publish it on its own though :) It just might take me a little longer than anything else. Smut is not easy to write! :3**

 **On queue: Anon who requested Lucaya mall scene set during Enceinte! :3  
**

 **Enjoy! Thanks for the reviews all of you lovely people! Your kindness means more to me than anything else in the world! :)  
**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own GMW.**

* * *

 **Title: Heartbreak  
Pairings&Characters: Topanga, Riley, ****Lucaya  
** **Genre: Hurt/Comfort, Angst,** **Family,** **Romance, canon compliant, AU  
Rating: K+ for Knowing the truth** ** **  
**Summary: Being a mother was hard.  
**

 **Request by A Hopeless Romantic for Topanga introspection of Lucaya. I tweaked the prompt a bit from how you requested it, but I hope it's okay! Thank you for your request! :)  
**

* * *

"He was my first kiss. The first guy I loved." Riley wept, voice distorted by her sniffles and wavering voice. "And I lost him to Maya."

"I'm sorry, sweetie." Topanga cooed softly beside her daughter, curled into a ball and clutching her pillow to her chest.

"Why did he choose her?!" Riley shouted, sobbing into her pillow. "I love Maya more than the world itself, but why… Why does she get the guy I always wanted? It's not fair!"

Topanga rubbed her back soothingly, knowing full well what it was like to lose the love of your life to somebody else. The pain from seeing them with another girl. The heartache in knowing that you had a chance, yet you lost it. Unfortunately for Riley though, she wouldn't be getting her happy ending with Lucas.

Topanga could see now more than ever just how poisoned Riley had become from the idea that ones first love was also their last love. Part of her blamed herself for deluding her daughter into believing first loves were last loves by her and Cory's relationship so much that Riley never saw Lucas falling for Maya as a possibility. She never suspected that he could end up with anyone other than her.

But Topanga had seen it coming when she'd first seen Lucas smile warmly and kindly at Riley and then tease Maya, a playful spark in his eyes. She knew one of her daughters was going to get her heart broken by the boy. And she had suspected early on that it would be Riley.

So when Topanga first saw the signs, when she'd first seen Lucas and Maya sitting closely on the couch working on a project, when she'd first seen their game develop a flirtatious edge, she had known this day would come.

"I just want him back…" Riley wailed. "I just want to go back in time and make it so I get him and she doesn't!"

"You would sacrifice Maya's happiness for your own?" Topanga asked softly, knowing Riley's vitriol and cruel words were from a source of pain, and not Riley's true feelings.

She sniffled and said nothing to retract her statement, but her expression was remorseful and she picked at her fingernail in shame.

"I told them both I was really okay with it… but I lied. I'm not okay with it. Not at all." Riley glanced at her mother with red-rimmed watery eyes, "Why couldn't they see? Why _didn't_ they see I wasn't okay?"

Topanga's heart went out for her sweet, innocent daughter. A first heartbreak was always the hardest to get over. And she was young. She had no other prior relationships to cushion the pain and prepare her for how to deal with it.

"I deserve him…" Riley muttered, her tone bitter, "Not Maya."

"Riley, honey…" Topanga laid down beside her, wiping away some of the errant tears under her puffy eyelid. "Nobody _deserves_ another human being. Lucas is not a trophy. And by saying that, you're implying that you think Maya comes second to you."

"But what makes her relationship with Lucas better than mine that he chose her? What makes things with her so special?"

Topanga didn't have any words to say to that. Or rather, any words that could help Riley overcome her suffering. Because as Maya's pseudo mother, she couldn't just discredit Maya's relationship with Lucas.

She'd seen them fall in love.

She'd watched as Maya slowly became a bit more skittish around Lucas.

Watched as she blushed when they made contact.

Watched as she seemed to smile wider and brighter and more naturally around Lucas.

She'd watched Lucas' lingering gaze on Maya and his little content smiles when she called him by his actual name and the way he seemed to always be touching her for every little thing.

She'd seen them share their first kiss with each other on the roof during New Years when the fireworks began.

Topanga had watched Lucas and Maya become close through the years and support each other and understand each other and complete each other. She'd been happy for her pseudo daughter and fellow fierce shortstack of pancakes when Lucas finally asked her to be his girlfriend.

But Topanga had also watched Riley grow nervous being around Maya and Lucas when they were together.

Watched her brows twitch in annoyance and frustration when the two teens made contact.

Watched her smile grow tighter, more fake, and less natural when she was around her two friends.

She'd watched Riley's increasingly resentful looks towards the two and disappointed sighs when somehow, Lucas and Maya always managed to find each other.

She'd seen Riley's grief-stricken face and quickly averted gaze when Lucas kissed Maya softly on New Years and she reciprocated.

She'd watched Riley start to distance herself a little from them, and she'd felt heartache for her first child and her sweet, kindhearted, innocent daughter when Lucas and Maya became official.

"Mom… I don't want to be like this anymore. I don't want to resent Maya for being picked. I don't want to hate Lucas for choosing her. I don't want to be bitter. And I don't want to hurt anymore. But I'm just so mad!"

Topanga pulled Riley into her, holding her as she cried softly into her chest.

"Only time will heal the wounds Riley." Topanga said gently, smoothing down the brown locks, "But why did you tell Maya you were okay even though you weren't ready?"

A sniffle.

"I thought they wouldn't last... I thought he would come to his senses and come back to me..."

"Do you want Maya to break up with Lucas? You know she would do it in a heartbeat for you."

Another sniffle.

"No… I want them to be happy."

Topanga smiled, a little morose, a little proud.

"As long as you remember that sweetheart, you'll be okay." She whispered into her daughter's hair, kissing her head gently, "You'll find other loves. You are a kindhearted, beautiful, compassionate girl. And one day, someone will come in your life who will be perfect for you. And when that day comes, you'll know."

"Okay…"

Taking care of an ailing daughter while one was in full spirits was conflicting. And Topanga felt like she had failed Riley for not preparing her better for this. Not warning her in some way about the impending heartbreak.

Topanga sighed, shushing Riley gently and telling her it was alright as another round of fresh tears and sobs wracked her body with shudders.

Being a mother was hard.


	28. Enceinte 9o5

**The last chapter was so hard to write :/ Sad!Riley is difficult to stomach... Also, does anyone who's ever had a cast have some good recommendations for how to scratch a mega super ultra ITCH?! IM DYING!  
**

 **On queue: crookedcheshire's request for Jealous!Lucas  
**

 **Enjoy! I appreciate all the time you guys take to leave these reviews! It's a really kind gesture, and it always is a pleasure to read your words and encouragement and critique! So thank you for that! :)  
**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own GMW.**

* * *

 **Title: Enceinte 9.5  
Pairings&Characters: Lucas, Maya** **  
** **Genre: Friendship, Drama, Hurt/Comfort** **, Angst, AU  
Rating: K+ for Kiosks** ** **  
**Summary: Missing moment from Enceinte. Set between chapter 9 and 10, after homecoming.  
**

 **LovingMyLucaya and define-minkii informed me of an anon on tumblr who wanted a cute Lucaya mall scene in Enceinte. So request by Anon for missing moment in Enceinte! I altered it just a little bit from what you might have been hoping, but the majority of it is the same I think. Thank you for the prompt and sorry I could not put this in the actual story! :)  
**

 **Warning: Spoilers for chapters 1-9. This one-shot probably will be a bit confusing if you haven't read it.  
**

* * *

"Alright." Lucas walked out of the dressing room to where Maya was waiting. He was tying his tie as he approached. "This one fits better. What do you think?"

Maya peeked up at him. Lucas in a suit took some getting used to. He was pretty attractive by definition and he always looked good no matter what he wore, but him in a suit was just…

"Yeah. It looks better." Maya said indifferently, though she quickly glanced back at her phone to hide the fact that she was going to sprout a blush.

Lucas had asked her to come to the mall with him to help him find a suit for some dinner he would have to go to with his father in a couple weeks. Normally, she wouldn't have considered it. After homecoming, she was more interested in napping the weekend away, especially since her mother ditching her was still fresh on her mind, but he had bribed her with ice cream, and hell, who was she to turn away some damn good caramel pistachio lathered in ketchup.

But she knew why he had asked her instead of Farkle. She suspected he was trying to distract her mind from the fact that she had gotten kicked out of her home and no longer could live with her mother. It wasn't that he wasn't subtle about it; she just knew deep down what his motive was. And honestly, she was glad he had taken her out. This was actually helping a little bit.

"You're not even looking, Maya." He said playfully as he stood in front of her waiting patiently for her to address him properly.

She chewed on her lower lip and looked up at him. He looked distinguished. Even better than how he had looked at homecoming. Well, except for his crooked tie. She cracked a small smile.

"How do I look?" He asked.

Maya stood up with a soft sigh and walked up to him.

"Your tie is crooked." She said, keeping her gaze trained on his tie as she reached up and readjusted it so it could fall straight. They were really close, and she couldn't help but feel like a pregnant wife trying to help her husband. She kind of liked that imagery.

"I can't help it." he said, "I couldn't see what I was doing."

She tugged it gently to rearrange it and then patted it against his chest when she was done, a content little smile on her face.

"How is it?" he asked, smiling down at her.

"Well…" She grinned, looking up and meeting his gaze. "There's something missing."

"Oh yeah? What?"

"Cowboy hat."

Lucas rolled his eyes. "Okay, aside from that. How's the suit?"

"You look fine." She fixed his collar and then took a step back, observing him from a little more distance. "Sophisticated."

He rose a brow at her choice of words. "Sophisticated?"

"You should get this one."

"Alright then." Lucas turned back around to go change out of the suit. "I'll get it."

Maya stretched her arms up to the ceiling as Lucas walked back into the dressing room to put his actual clothes back on. She was picking up her bag, waiting for him to come out to buy his suit when one of the store clerks came up to her, grinning from ear to ear excitedly. Maya had seen her in the area near the dressing room, chatting and giggling with one of her work colleagues.

"Hey. Is he your boyfriend?" she asked a little anxiously.

"Uh, no." Maya frowned. "We're just friends."

"Well he is such a hottie." The girl fake fanned herself. "Hey, do you mind giving him my number? You know, since you're not together?"

Maya felt her irritation spike a bit as the girl forced a small slip of paper in her hand. Why were people so obsessed with Lucas? She couldn't go anywhere with him without someone trying to hit on him. Lucas said he'd grown used to it a long time ago, but Maya couldn't stand it. Of course, she knew it was just much more amplified now that she recognized that she liked him, and she knew she shouldn't really act like a jealous girlfriend especially since she had no intention of telling him, but it still bugged her.

"We're in high school, you know?" Maya replied, eyes narrowed.

"Great! I am too!" The girl clasped her hands together pleadingly. "Please give him my number? He is so cute!"

"Fine…" Maya said, sticking it in her pocket just to appease the annoying girl and get her off her back.

The girl squealed excitedly and ran to the cash register to ring up another person who had finished up. Lucas walked out shortly after, holding the hanger with the suit over his shoulder.

"Hey. I'm waiting outside." Maya said, feeling a little sick to her stomach. She didn't want to stand there and watch the girl flirt with Lucas as he bought his suit.

"You okay?" he asked in concern, placing the back of his hand against her cheek, "Do you feel sick? You don't have to throw up, do you?"

"I'm fine." She swatted his hand away and turned around to leave the men's store before he could respond. "Just hurry up and check out."

Maya knew she was being pissy and sour for no reason, but dammit, the number in her pocket had ruined her good mood so quickly, and she was just feeling down now. It was bad enough that each day she continued living with the Matthews, she was forced to remember that she was no longer welcome in her mother's home. The last thing she wanted was unnecessary irritation added to her already downed spirits.

She knew she should have just exercised caution and stayed home to paint.

Lucas walked out shortly after, bag in hand and found her waiting with her arms crossed. He frowned when he saw the look of irritation on her face.

"Alright. What's wrong, Maya? You were fine earlier today."

"I'm tired." She said, neutral expression set firmly on her face.

Lucas looked around the mall, not addressing her obvious lie. There were a lot more people there than when they had arrived in the morning, and it was a little bit crowded now because it was starting to reach the afternoon.

"C'mon." Lucas said, taking her hand and tugging her along beside him. "We need to talk. Somewhere private."

He dragged her to the photo booth kiosk beside another store, and Maya frowned up at him, trying to slow down the brisk pace he had set.

"I don't want to talk." She argued, fighting against him. "Let's just finish this up so I can go home."

He ignored her and pulled her inside the booth before she could respond. He sat down and then patted the seat next to him. Maya sighed in annoyance before plopping down beside him, rolling her eyes when he smiled triumphantly.

"So what's up?"

"Nothing." Maya muttered, picking her nails dejectedly.

"I thought we'd gotten past the whole 'don't tell Lucas what's really going on thing' Maya." He sighed, "Is this about Jellybean?"

"No…"

"Hey." Someone called out from outside. "If you guys aren't going to take pictures in there, can I have a turn?"

"We're taking pictures." Lucas said back.

"You know these things are three bucks right?" Maya pointed out.

He shrugged and pulled out his wallet, putting the money in the slot. He turned back to Maya with a raised brow.

"You know, I can sit here all day until you talk."

"Why are you so persistent?"

"Because you're trying to push me away again. I won't let you."

She stayed silent, not exactly meeting his eyes.

"Is this about your mom kicking you out still?" he asked softly, his gaze concerned.

 _Click. Flash._

"No… I just…"

Maya sighed and pulled the number out her pocket. "That clerk wanted me to give you her number."

Lucas stared at the paper in her hand for a second before he snorted and met Maya's eyes with a teasing grin.

"Wait, so you're jealous?"

"No." Maya snapped, though Lucas' grin only grew. "Don't get the wrong idea, Huckleberry."

"You are so jealous."

 _Click. Flash._

"I'm not jealous!"

"Then if you're not jealous, why does it bother you?" He looked a little expectant, maybe a little hopeful.

"…I just was scared if you went out with her you would rather spend more time with her than us." Maya said. It was somewhat the truth. She knew she sounded like an idiot, but there was no way she was going to tell Lucas how she felt about him. She may have been pregnant, but that didn't mean she had a claim over Lucas just because he was the father. Her feelings would only be a burden.

Lucas was silent for a little bit, scrutinizing her carefully with a frown. She wondered if he even believed her in the first place. He looked skeptical.

"Maya. Nothing will ever distract me from you or Jellybean. I told you, didn't I? We're in this together."

 _Click. Flash._

"Yeah. I got that, but as long as you're single, you know girls will keep trying to get with you, right?" Maya's fists clenched. "Not to mention that girl you're trying to date."

"You sure you're not jealous?"

"I'm not jealous." She glared at him, "I'm just thinking about you dating the girl you like and how that will affect us taking care of Jellybean together."

"Well…" he smiled, taking her hands in his and gently rubbing small circles on her knuckles with his thumb, "I'm sure once the girl I want finally notices me, there won't be an issue."

"There you go again with that cryptic nonsense." Maya's brows furrowed slightly. "Who is this girl you like anyway?"

He said nothing, but his smile shifted into something a little like longing, his gaze tender and causing fire to rise on her cheeks. What the hell was that look supposed to mean?

 _Click. Flash._

The flash of the camera came out of nowhere and surprised Maya. She hopped out of the seat with a small gasp in alarm, completely taken off guard.

"Holy shit…" she said putting her hand on her heart, "That surprised me."

"Was that already four pictures?" Lucas watched her with thinly veiled amusement, eyebrow raised at her reaction.

"I think so." Maya responded, "What a wasted of three bucks."

Lucas stood up, following Maya as she opened the curtain and walked out of the booth. The people who had been waiting for them to finish hopped inside. Maya picked up the processed photos and looked at them.

They all were just general photos of them talking—nothing worth keeping—but the last one, Lucas was holding her hands and smiling at her like she was the apple of his eye. Like she was the only one in his world. If she stepped out of reality for a second, the picture looked as if they were a young couple in love.

She liked it.

"Those must be the worst pictures ever. We didn't even look at the camera once." Lucas commented beside her. "Any of them good?"

She liked it, but if she told him she wanted to keep it, he'd probably want to see why. And then he'd know.

"No. I'm going to trash them later." Maya lied, slipping the pictures into her pocket. She was definitely going to keep that last one. She smiled, her mood significantly better than it had been. What was it about Lucas that always managed to make her feel better? "Now that that's over with, don't you owe me ice cream, Ranger Rick?"

He groaned, "I was hoping you would forget."

"You tempted a pregnant girl with _ice cream_. I'm not going to forget."

Lucas laughed and took her hand as they walked towards the food court.


	29. He's Jealous

**Earlier update today! I have a make up exam in the afternoon so I'm getting this taken care of now! Apologies if it's a little choppy. I know there are verb tense issues I haven't fixed yet lol. I'll have it revised by the next update, okay? :) Love you all!**

 **On queue: garcia. brenda24's request for the end of the Summer of Celibacy!  
**

 **Enjoy! Thank you for the reviews! I appreciate it always! :)  
**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own GMW.**

* * *

 **Title: He's Jealous  
Pairings&Characters: Lucas, Lucaya, ****Rebelz (speculated), Goofballz (speculated), BAMFz (speculated), Faya (speculated),** **Joshaya (speculated)  
Genre: Angst,** **AU  
Rating: K+ for Kamikaze** ** **  
**Summary: Lucas lets his jealousy get out of control.  
**

 **Exact prequel to Let There Be Cake (and related to all affiliated stories in that universe) Just some word vomit Lucas introspection. (This is really roughly written! Apologies for the bad quality! I've been trying to study at the same time lol!)  
**

 **Request by crookedcheshire for Jealous!Lucas. This oneshot has been a long time coming, so I combined it with your request! Thank you for the request!  
**

* * *

Lucas has always been jealous.

 _Especially_ when it comes to Maya Hart.

Jealous of Brandon when he and Maya find yet another rebellious past time they have in common. Jealous of Zay when he and Maya high five each other and compare who got the best worst answers on a test question. Jealous of Billy when he and Maya team up to give the teacher a hard time. Jealous of all her little dates and short-term boyfriends for getting the chance to kiss her and hold her and maybe more than that (and here he breaks his train of thought because he's on the verge of flipping a shit and _breaking_ something). Even jealous of Farkle—his best friend—because only he can make Maya laugh a certain way, a jovial, tinkling, almost-a-giggle, sound that he knows is reserved for only the boy she's grown up with.

He does his best to keep his vexation at bay, but there's just something about the way her face lights up with joy or when she grins in that coy way when she's with any other guy that _drives him up the wall_.

He knows it's a little ridiculous and every time he sees her happy with them, he gets more irritated. He knows it's stupid, but she's Maya and he likes her and can you blame him for wishing it was him on the receiving end of her flirtatious smirks and soft kisses and warm hugs and irritated looks?

It bothered him.

It _still_ bothers him.

Even now, after they've started dating. He had hoped that his jealous streak would naturally dissipate when they became an official couple.

But that is not the case.

It gets worse, and he starts to get irritated when any guy other than him is within a five meter radius of her even. He gets moody and snappy when she smiles at any other guy. He has to forcibly grip his desk to keep from pummeling any guy who tries to flirt with Maya.

And he knows why he's so jealous.

He's insecure in his relationship with her.

Even though she frequently tells him she doesn't want anyone else, he's still insecure. Maya is beautiful, charming, gorgeous, lovely, smart as hell, and she's too good for him. He knows it's wrong to be so mentally possessive of her, but he can't help but be that way with her.

He'd lose his mind if he ever lost her to someone else.

At most though, his jealousy doesn't rear its ugly head and manifest itself in any other form other than some scowls and brooding thoughts.

But if there's one thing that will almost automatically fuel his jealousy like a flame added to gasoline:

It's Josh Matthews.

Maya's old crush.

His jealousy of Josh has always been a constant and frequent prevalent source in his mind, because Josh has always been the biggest threat to his relationship with Maya. Lucas knows she isn't totally over Josh yet. After all, when they'd gotten together, she wasn't completely over her crush.

Sometimes he feels like she compares him to Josh. There are times when he feels like she really does wish that Josh could be her boyfriend. They'd broken up once because of that. And his biggest fear is that it will happen again. But that if it does, she won't come back to him. And he wouldn't be able to handle that. He would be miserable without her and he knows it if those lonely two weeks apart from her are any indication.

There's always that lingering fear in his mind that her crush on Josh will one day return and he'll lose her to him, despite the fact that she's told him countless times (time and time again) that she wants to be with Lucas. Regardless of her assurances, her friendship with the older boy is fairly strong and borderline flirtatious (in his mind) and he can't help but fear the inevitable.

And it all comes to a head when Josh visits the Matthews over his Thanksgiving break. They're all studying in the living room, preparing for their exams in a few weeks when Josh walks in, looking for his older brother.

Somehow, Maya loses interest in studying and starts chatting good-naturedly and laughing with Josh. And every laugh grates Lucas' nerves and he damn near snaps the pencil in his hand into two from watching them, his irritation slowly mounting with each passing second they converse. Farkle doesn't understand why he's so peeved, and Lucas waves it off, making some stupid excuse about the difficulty of the problem he hasn't once touched since Josh walked in and Maya's eyes lit up.

And then as Josh leaves to go hang out with some friends, he gives Maya a hug.

And Maya reciprocates the hug.

And Lucas suddenly sees red.

He isn't really sure how he gets to the other side of the room so quickly, but suddenly he's there and his fist is in Josh's face before anyone can stop him and there's this horrifying silence and Josh is on the floor looking up at him in confusion and everyone is just staring at him absolutely shocked but no one as shocked as Lucas himself because he can't believe he actually just did that.

And then he looks at Maya and she looks appalled and livid all at once and _disappointed_ somehow and it's the disappointment that causes Lucas' blood to boil over in rage once again and he doesn't even care that he punched someone who is genuinely nice.

"What the hell is your problem?!" she snaps.

And he feels a fight itching under his skin and he's mad that she can't see that he's jealous and that he's always been jealous and he always _will be_ jealous and why the hell is she defending Josh?

"Me?" he growls, "I think the question is what the hell is the matter with you?"

Maya's eyes turn steely like they do whenever they're about to fight and she looks like she's about to claw his eyes out and somewhere behind him, Riley face palms with a groan but he doesn't care that he's setting himself up for disaster by picking a fight. He doesn't care if Maya's going to tear him down without remorse.

He's jealous.


	30. Crescendo

**Sorry this was posted way late :3 This is another experiment with writing arrestive endings! I hope it works better this time! Urgh... I'm supposed to get up in three hours, and I'm not even asleep lol!  
**

 **On queue: xXstaticdragonXx's request for Lucaya getting... _caught._  
**

 **Enjoy! You guys are all so sweet! Thank you for the reviews and the support! I swear I'll respond to everything (including PMs!) in the afternoon! I'm a little backed up on work, and I'm trying to study at the same time! :)  
**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own GMW.**

* * *

 **Title: Crescendo  
Pairings&Characters: Lucaya** **  
Genre: Romance, Wangst, Fluff, AU** **  
Rating: High T for Trudging Through** ** **  
**Summary: It's been 3 months, 2 weeks, 4 days, 7 hours, 43 minutes, and 51 seconds since they last got it on. Oh yeah. They've both been counting.  
**

 **Sequel to Paranoia.  
**

 **Request by garcia. brenda24 for the end of the Summer of Celibacy. Thanks for being patient with me! :D  
**

 **Request by both Guest and Pizza (are you both the same person LOL?) for Lucas carrying Maya over his shoulder! Thanks for the request ;D (I'm assuming you both meant it in a sexual context, yeah?)**

* * *

"Thanks for coming to the party with me." Maya said, squeezing Lucas' hands as they walked down the hall back to her dorm room. "You didn't have to."

One of the frats had hosted a first week of classes party, and she had wanted to go. So Lucas had gone with her to celebrate. It had been fun. A great way to unwind before the school year really kicked off and they would be bogged down with their studies.

"Well, I wasn't about to let some drunk asshole grind up on my girlfriend." Lucas said with a raised eyebrow.

Maya rolled her eyes. "You know I can take care of myself."

"Still…"

She snorted and then broke her hand from his to stoop and pick up her key from under her shower caddy outside her room door. She unlocked it before turning to him with a smile.

"So…" Lucas said, his hands finding her waist and pulling her flush against him. "Did you have fun?"

"Yeah. Because you were there."

Maya had spent most of her summer on vacation in Florida with her mother to try to mend some of the kinks in their relationship. She hadn't been planning to talk to her mother at all, but Katy had gotten dumped by her deadbeat boyfriend and she hadn't known who to call except Maya. So Maya had sucked her anger up and gone on vacation with her mother so she could cheer her up.

And honestly, Maya had enjoyed spending time with her mom. Sure, there had been some pretty irritating moments—especially when Katy wanted to talk about what sex with Lucas was like, which was a terrible topic because aside from the fact that Katy was her damn _mother_ and it was embarrassing, she and Lucas hadn't been having any sex that summer and it was almost unbearable—but overall it had been pleasant, and they'd been able to keep arguments to a minimum.

But being without Lucas was surprisingly more difficult than Maya had anticipated. If she really thought about how Lucas' absence affected her, it kind of scared her how attached to him she was. She'd never been that way with anyone in her life before.

"I've missed you." She said a little quietly, playing with the fabric of his shirt, "…Too much. I don't even know what it means."

His gaze darkened ever so slightly, and he smiled slightly before leaning down and catching her lips in a breathtaking kiss she was unprepared for. She whimpered against his mouth, her eyes fluttering shut as she matched his intensity. His tongue traced her lower lip and she parted her lips, meeting it as he deepened their kiss. It was almost too much, how long she'd been depraved of this feeling. It was bubbling up wildly in her chest, rendering her weak kneed and making it hard to think of anything other than how good it felt being in his arms.

She just didn't understand how Lucas had the power to make her lose herself so easily.

It scared her.

He backed her up against the door, and Maya moaned into his mouth when his hands slipped under her shirt and made contact with the skin on her waist. She tugged him even closer as her entire body started heating up in that way that only Lucas could make it. This kiss was quickly turning into something entirely different. She wanted his mouth sucking on her neck. She wanted him to _touch_ her. She wanted him inside her. A chill ran down her back when she felt his arousal.

With a sharp breath, Lucas pulled away a little reluctantly, his eyes searching hers as they both tried to catch their breath. Maya licked her lips in surprise at the insane fire raging inside her body.

Lucas swallowed tightly. "I should probably go."

But she didn't want him to leave.

They'd been torturing themselves long enough...

"Or you know... you could stay..."

He regarded her silently, a bit of shock registering on his features at her words.

"I mean, it's no longer summertime." Her cheeks reddened a bit when his brow rose ever so slightly. "And I am on the pill now. And I have a single… So no roommate to accidentally walk in on us."

Lucas' eyes flashed with heat. "You do realize what you're saying, don't you?"

She shrugged, a small smile playing on her lips. "We've both waited for a pretty long time. I think we owe it to ourselves for not breaking our celibacy all summer."

Lucas' lips pulled up into something of a dangerous smirk, and without a warning, he picked her up unceremoniously and tossed her over his shoulder. She laughed, legs flailing in surprise as he walked into her room, arm wrapped around her torso to keep her from falling.

"Lucas! What the fuck?"

"Do you know how long I've been waiting for you to say those words?" he said in a low voice.

Lucas dropped her on her bed before straightening and watching her for a moment. She was a little taken aback by the look in his eyes. Through the dim lighting from the lamp on her desk, she could definitely tell it was lust at the forefront, but she also saw warmth in his gaze and something much more intense and much deeper she recognized that she knew she'd been reciprocating for the longest time. Her face flushed and her body grew warm in anticipation.

"We're not leaving your room for the rest of the weekend, you know that right?"

"We need food sometime." she pointed out, though she knew nothing would deter him.

"Why would we need food when we have each other?" he said with a smirk, unbuttoning his shirt and taking it off before tossing it in the corner.

Maya's face burned red.

"You dork."

He cut the lamp on her desk off before climbing on her bed with a dark chuckle. Maya's breath caught when she felt the lightest touch of his hand on her waist. Not seeing him clearly was making her heart race, and she could feel sharp pangs of arousal pulsing between her legs.

"Now then..." he whispered, settling on top of her with a rogue, predatory grin. "Where were we..."

She felt his lips ghosting over her neck, soft and subtle and barely there and a breathless whimper escaped her lips.

"Lucas..."

"I won't let you sleep tonight Maya."

And he made good on his promise.


	31. Caught In The Act

**Hi Guest! I'm sorry but Stuck doesn't have a sequel. It's a finished one-shot. I hope that's not too disappointing!**

 **On queue: LovingMyLucaya's request for conspiring teachers.  
**

 **Enjoy! Thank you for the wonderful reviews! They're all so sweet and wonderful and I appreciate them all! :)  
**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own GMW.**

* * *

 **Title: Caught In The Act  
Pairings&Characters: Shawn, Cory, Lucas, Maya, Lucaya** **  
Genre: Angst, Humor, Fluff, canon to AU** **future  
Rating: T for Terrified Lucas** ** **  
**Summary: Cory and Shawn put the fear of God into Lucas.  
**

 **Request by** **xXstaticdragonXx's for Lucaya getting caught. This is more word vomit than anything hahah. Sorry! And thanks for your request! :)  
**

* * *

"So… What do you have to say for yourself?" Shawn growled, slapping the wooden rolling pin against his palm rhythmically.

He glared down at the bristling teenage boy sitting in front of him sporting a terrified expression on his face. His shirt wasn't buttoned up, his hair was tousled and mussed, and he had a hickey peeking from under his collar. He didn't even have the decency to pull his pants up completely over his boxers.

Shawn's glare intensified.

How dare he.

Lucas opened his mouth and then closed it again, swallowing thickly.

"Speak up, Mr. Friar." Cory barked, standing beside Shawn in support, arms crossed menacingly in front of his chest.

"I-I respect Maya, sir. A lot." He finally responded, sitting up straighter in the chair they'd shoved him in.

"You defiled our daughter." Shawn snapped.

"You destroyed her innocence." Cory said, eyes narrowing dangerously.

"I swear it didn't go as far as you think it did."

"Says the boy who was caught on top of her without any clothes. _On_ Riley's bed no less!"

"We know what we saw."

Lucas' face burned red. "It was just the tip."

Wrong thing to say.

Shawn cracked his knuckles, an unhealthy, dangerous gleam in his eyes as he remembered the scene he'd walked into. To think, he had come to visit Riley and Auggie and had walked into her room to this prick on top of Maya, naked and kissing her and just about to…

He felt his blood boil once again.

"Cory, tell me." he grumbled lowly, gripping the pin with both hands and taking a few practice swings, "Do you think we'll get arrested if we remove his offending body part?"

"Why, I don't think so Shawn…"

"Then perhaps we should start with that."

"I agree." Cory said, picking his nails nonchalantly. "Maybe we should take out his eyes too so he can't even look at Maya anymore."

"Good point."

Lucas' eyes widened when they both took a menacing step closer to him.

"Whoa, okay wait!" he said frantically. "I know you may not have walked into the best situation. And I'm sorry you had to see… _that_. But I'm not going to apologize for having sex with Maya."

This kid had guts. He even had the nerve to look him in the eye and say those words. Did he not realize what precarious situation he was in right now?

Shawn rose a brow. "Oh?"

Lucas swallowed when their approach momentarily stopped and continued speaking. "Look, I love Maya. And I would never do anything to hurt her or make her feel uncomfortable in any way. Everything I do is so she'll be happy. And as long as she wants me, I'm hers. So you can rest assured, I'm not using her. Not now, not ever."

Shawn watched him silently for a spell. This horny little teenage shit had soiled Maya. He'd touched her and was about to deflower Shawn's precious blonde angel. But his gaze was sincere and he was standing his ground, watching the two of them with a determined look on his face. He had no dishonesty in his eyes and he wasn't fidgeting or looking away from either of them.

He truly did love Maya.

Shawn could see it in his eyes. Lucas would and could take care of her.

Shawn respected that.

And as much as Shawn hated it, he felt he could entrust Maya to the boy.

"Shawn?" Cory asked. "What do we do?"

Shawn sighed. "Alright. We'll let you go."

Lucas' eyes widened as if he couldn't quite believe what was happening. "Wait, seriously? You're not going to break me or anything?"

"Don't mistaken this. We still want to toss you into the ocean." Shawn snapped. "But clearly you care about Maya. And she wouldn't be with anyone who she didn't trust. I know it would upset her if we did something to you."

"Oh." He smiled slightly, "Thank you, sir."

"But I don't want to know anything about you and Maya. I don't want to see you kissing her when I'm around. I don't want to know where you've been or what you've done with her. I don't want to hear a word about you two. Got it?"

"Yes sir."

"And if you ever hurt Maya, I won't think twice to make you disappear. Understood?"

"Crystal clear."

"You better not make me regret this." Shawn menaced. "The minute you screw up, Cory and I will be on you like bloodhounds."

"I won't screw up, sir."

Shawn smirked, "Well then–"

"Look you two!"

Maya stormed into the living room, glaring angrily at the two men.

"I'm not just going to sit in Riley's room while you harass my boyfriend!" she chastised. "I am an eighteen year old girl, and I'm allowed to make my own decisions, and I just so happened to choose to take my relationship with him to the next level. Look, the truth is, I already gave my virginity to Lucas last month because I love him and I know he would never do… anything to…"

She tapered off with a frown when she finally noticed Cory and Shawn were looking increasingly more and more mad with each word she spoke. Her gaze drifted to Lucas who was grimacing and rapidly making a motion for her to stop talking.

"Gave your virginity?" Shawn said slowly, the expression in his eyes livid.

"Last month?" Cory finished.

"Shit…" Maya said. "Oops."

They both turned away from Maya and glared down at Lucas, their eyes shining with renewed disgust and rage.

"What happened to _it was just the tip_?" Shawn said to Lucas through grit teeth. "What happened to _I swear it didn't go as far as you think it did_?"

"Well…" Lucas chuckled nervously, scratching the back of his head. "It really was just the tip when you walked in _today_ …"

Shawn's blue eyes turned steely. This punk had already…

That little shit.

"So you're telling me that there have been several other times dating back to a month?" Shawn snarled, his voice tight and jarring and sounding like nails scraping down a chalkboard. "You've been tainting her with your filth for a month?"

Lucas' face dropped immediately and his brows lifted in trepidation as a heavy silence fell in the entire room.

"You'd better catch the first damn plane you can out of New York City, Friar." Shawn said ominously, his voice entirely too calm. "Because when I'm through with you, you'll wish you were the roadkill on the streets."

For a moment, there was a beat of silence, the threat hanging in the air amongst them.

And then Lucas shot out of his chair, running straight out the door, his state of undress be damned.


	32. The Project

**Welp. Got a pencil stuck in my cast trying to scratch my itch -_-; Joy. Guys, I have an exam on Thursday that I _have to_ pass so there might not be an update for Wednesday depending on where I am in studying. Just letting you know in advance in case you don't see the new chapter. I sorry!  
**

 **I will respond to reviews in the morning! I promise! Right now, I'm trying to put up three chapters of three different stories lol, so sorry I'm a little bogged down, but I'll get to it soon! ^_^**

 **On queue: Jemmie's request for Maya using Lucas' real name.  
**

 **Enjoy! Merci beaucoup pour tous les mots d'encouragement! Vous êtes tous trop gentils! :D  
**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own GMW.**

* * *

 **Title: The Project  
Pairings&Characters: OC, Lucas, Maya** **  
Genre: Humor, Friendship, AU** **  
Rating: K+ for Karen Valentine** ** **  
**Summary: She didn't get why teachers always wanted to pair them up.  
**

 **Request by** **LovingMyLucaya for teachers conspiring to get Lucaya together. What I wrote is a little crazy and doesn't make sense but I wanted to write something a little light and random. Like mousse. Thanks for your request! :)  
**

 **Note: I do intend to write out the Lucaya side of this chapter sometime in the future. ;3 I might make it a short story fic.  
**

* * *

Lucas and Maya.

It was all Karen Valentine ever heard in the teacher's lounge.

Lucas and Maya did this.

Lucas and Maya did that.

Lucas and Maya got into this fight this.

Lucas and Maya got into this fight that.

She didn't understand why every teacher who had the two students in their course would always bring them up in every conversation. She'd transferred to John Adams High to teach Home Economics since the school's last teacher had retired, and she had hoped she could find a nice little _normal_ group of teacher friends to spend weekends drinking with. But she quickly discovered that these teachers only had one thing on their minds: two teens they had dubbed Lucaya.

Apparently, these teachers had no lives since they spent their free time gossiping and chatting about what happened between two students who were just friends, talking about will they or won't they as if they were some couple on a TV show.

She just didn't get it.

She'd seen the two students before—Lucas, a pretty attractive and toned boy for his age and Maya, this pint-sized firecracker blonde—but always in passing. And despite seeing them throwing each other somewhat irritated looks once in a while, she didn't understand what the big deal about them was. They were just two random students, and quite frankly, she didn't think it was appropriate for teachers to be so involved in the love lives of their students.

 _"You'll understand once you have them in your class."_ she'd been told.

She didn't think she ever would understand.

Until the next semester rolled around.

That semester, they'd ended up taking her Home Ec class in the same class period. Now, Karen was a firm believer in starting things off with a bang, so she always began her semesters with the dreaded Fake Baby project every freshman had to experience.

Normally, Karen randomized pairings just to see which totally unrelated pair could do the best with someone they didn't necessarily know. But when she had brought it up during lunch, Ms. Kossal and Ms. Burgess along with two other teachers had urged her to pair them together and watch magic happen, and despite her reservations, she finally relented.

She supposed it _could_ be interesting. And she was curious about this so called Lucaya Magic that teachers raved about.

So she had purposely left Maya's name out of the hat and had let all the other boys pick their partners first. When Lucas reached in and didn't have a partner, she'd feigned surprise and paired him up with the only other girl who hadn't gotten a partner either: Maya Hart.

The girl looked peeved, and he looked mildly annoyed.

Karen was confused. They genuinely looked displeased with their pairings, yet why did the teachers think they were so close? To her, it seemed like there was a certain amount of animosity between them. Not to mention, Maya calling him some pretty disrespectful nicknames in her opinion.

And on another note, why did he let her call him such names?

But she ignored it, deciding she'd wait to see what would happen.

So she assigned each pair a bag of flour. Then she assigned them jobs with yearly salaries and the percentage of their salaries they had previously allotted for their own lives before the baby. They had a week to raise their fake babies, take good care of it, and write a report of a detailed family plan for how they planned to raise their child. In addition, they were to keep a baby log book of everything they did at what certain time to take care of their baby. And at the beginning of the following week, they would return their babies with their reports and logbooks for a grade.

So she'd waited as the week went by, wondering how the families would fare in this situation.

In a project like this, it wasn't uncommon for some "marital" issues, like deciding the gender, who would have the baby at what time, what to include in the family plan, how much money should be put in for the baby's clothes, toys, food, etc. So Karen expected maybe some fights or consternation. Maybe some arguments or issues. It was a given by the end of the project.

But _this_?

This was not okay.

Karen stared at the mangled, thin bag of flour Maya was holding out to her, Lucas standing behind her looking a little nervous. Several parts were duct-taped together haphazardly and there was a diaper attached to the bottom, _clearly_ to catch any falling flour. Dried mud on the sides. A burn mark. Salsa stains. Was that a tire track?!

"How the hell did you two manage to destroy the baby so much?!" Karen took it gingerly, an appalled look on her face.

"Because Huckleberry here's an idiot who didn't pay attention backing out of his spot."

"You set him down behind my truck! I didn't know!"

"Her. Do you not use your mirrors when you drive?"

"Who puts a baby on the ground behind a car anyway?"

"You still ran over her. Not to mention dropping her in the mud before your baseball practice."

"At least I didn't try to make pancakes out of him."

" _Her_. And I was just joking."

"No you weren't. You punctured a hole into _his_ side and took out two cups worth!"

"Calm down, Ranger Rick. It's no big deal."

"And then you left him on top of my stove and nearly started a fire!"

"That was an accident. Besides, you dropped her using her as a damn _football_ to play catch!"

"Yeah? You used him as a napkin!"

"Oh like you haven't."

"God, if we ever have kids, I'm never leaving you alone with them. You'd probably burn the whole house down."

"Better me than you. You ran over our kid… I think you've forfeited any rights to be left alone with them."

"That was a fluke because _you_ were careless! I should get another chance."

"Well then I guess we'll see if you can do any better in ten years."

"But man, this project was hard. Makes me wonder if I even want to have kids, you know?"

"Right?"

Karen blinked at them a little in shock. Did they even realize the implications of what they had just said to each other? Not to mention the fact that they were even fighting like an old married couple. Hell, they kind of even looked like they were married, what with Maya poking her finger into his chest and him looking fondly irritated. It was strange, but all of a sudden, Karen felt a sort of excitement rising up in her.

They were _cute_.

"Congratulations Maya and Lucas. I'm giving you a B minus."

"What?" Maya looked surprised.

Lucas was sporting a similar look of shock. "We passed?"

Karen nodded. "You guys understood exactly what it means to be parents. And for that, I'm letting you pass." She held up the bag. "Of course, you lose points for _decimating_ the baby… But you did very well planning out your family plan. The future Friar-Hart children will be in good hands with good parents."

Almost simultaneously, Lucas and Maya's faces wrinkled in identical looks of disgust.

"Gross. Who would ever want to have kids with Sundance over here."

"Likewise, _Shortstack_."

They walked back to their seats at their lab bench, giving each other somewhat grossed out looks, though they both looked like they were blushing a bit and just like that, Karen understood what it was about the two students that so compelled teachers to always stick them together for projects. And she felt like she'd jumped on some shipping bandwagon but she couldn't care less.

Them together was better than any sitcom couple she'd seen on TV.

"Alright guys. We're starting a new longterm project this month. We're going to be focusing on some domestic duties, like cooking and baking, as well as learning and understanding how to use certain kitchen appliances and how to clean properly, so you'll be working with your partners for a little while. So let's have your seat neighbour be your partners for this project."

And even though she heard Maya let out an obnoxious, annoyed groan, Karen glanced at them just in time to see Lucas' lips quirk up in a small pleased smile, and Maya bite her lower lip to try to keep a smile from coming to her face.

And just like that:

Karen knew she was such Lucaya Trash.


	33. Enough Is Enough

**Hahahaha you caught me :) Karen Valentine is pretty much us hahah! I'm glad you all noticed that! XD Also, I'll be MIA for the next seven to nine or so hours, but as soon as I get that exam out of the way and I'm done with work, I'm getting back in the groove! I will definitely start cranking down on chapters of my multichaptered stories, I'll respond to EVERY review and EVERY PM with gusto! Be patient with me :) I'll be back to being attentive to you wonderful people soon!  
**

 **On queue: Guest request for a homecoming scene.  
**

 **Enjoy! Thank you for all the reviews! You guys' reactions are always really enjoyable to read and see! Thank you for the well wishes for my exam! I think I'll probably do well! :)))  
**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own GMW.**

* * *

 **Title: Enough Is Enough  
Pairings&Characters: Lucaya, Lucas, Maya** **  
Genre: Angst, _Draaaaamaaaaaa,_ Hurt/Comfort (but not really comfort), AU** **  
Rating: T for** ** **The End  
** Summary: He lost her.  
**

 **Background for this particular fic: Lucas stayed in Texas _until_ adulthood. And then he moved to NYC where he met Maya. ****So anger issues are in full swing.** **This one was _extremely _ hard to write (and felt a little OOC), so I hope it worked out in the long run.** **  
**

 **Request by Jemmie for Lucas scaring Maya. I didn't exactly use all of your prompt, but the same idea applies. Thank you for the request! :D  
**

 **Request by foodlover00 for Jemmie's request to be written lol! X3  
**

* * *

Lucas liked to think his anger was in check. After he had moved from Texas to New York City, he hadn't had any specific outbursts. Sure, there were moments when he knew he was near about to lose it, but he tried hard to never let his anger get the best of him enough to hurt people he cared about. Even during fights with his girlfriend, he tried to keep his rage from spilling over.

But even he could not deny that each argument only irritated him more and more until he was on the verge of blowing up. Each argument brought him closer to letting his fury boil over. But he had faith in himself that it would never happen. He never believed it would.

But it did.

"Goddammit Maya!" Lucas roared, "Shut the fuck up and _listen_ to me!"

It was a split-second, involuntary reaction.

One second, he was in front of her barely keeping his grip on his patience as she yelled at him.

The next?

His fist was rammed in the wall next to her head.

Silence reigned between them, their breathing heavy and jilted as Maya cringed, her eyes wide as she turned her head to the right, staring in shock at his arm wedged into the wall, white powder from the paint and debris from the wall drifting down innocuously. In stupefied shock, Lucas pried his hand out from the wall, staring at the red and raw knuckles of his shaking fist.

"Maya… I…"

Her eyes slowly drifted back to his, and she took a step back, pressing her back closer to the wall. Her eyes were impossibly wide, staring at him as if she had never seen him before in her life. He hated it. For the first time ever, he saw _fear_ in her eyes as she looked at him. Of all the arguments and fights they'd had, Maya had never had that look in her eyes before. Disgust, irritation, frustration, anger, sadness, apprehension maybe. But _never_ fear.

And it destroyed him.

He reached out to her.

"Maya… I'm–"

And Maya flinched as she averted her gaze.

He stopped his hand.

Lucas' heart broke in two as he watched her close herself off to him, putting up walls that he had hoped would never come between them. He was losing her. All because of the problems he'd never worked out.

Maya's lower lip trembled the slightest bit, and with a deep breath, she walked straight past him to the door, her breathing laboured. She snatched up her purse on the coat rack and tugged her coat on, her motions a little frantic, a little terrified. She opened the door and walked right out, not saying another word to him.

And Lucas felt ice crawl down his back as he realized what was going on.

She was going to leave him.

She was giving up on him. Giving up on _them_.

And he _couldn't_ have that. Not Maya. Not the only person who'd ever been able to calm him.

Lucas spun around, rushing after her, his heart beating violently in his ears.

"Maya! Where are you going?!"

She stopped her course down the hallway and stiffened, standing still and staring straight ahead. He could see it plain as day as if it were tangible. The distance she had put between them.

"I…" Her voice was small, that undertone of fear still lingering in the words. "Away from you…"

 _No…_

His stomach dropped to his feet, and he swallowed thickly, slowly taking a few steps toward her.

"Maya. Th-think about this for a second. You don't have to go." He said earnestly, his hands shaking slightly, nevermind the throbbing pain from his left hand.

"Yes. I do…"

"No you don't." he repeated, walking slowly to her, "I need you Maya. You're the only one who understands me. The only one who can keep me at bay. Don't give up on me."

"I'm not your caretaker!" she snapped, her voice quivering the slightest bit, "I need to leave."

"Maya please don't." he pleaded, "I'll do better. I'll try harder, I swear."

"I can't wait for you anymore…" Maya responded, voice cracking, "What about me, huh? I don't want to live like this. I don't want to be stuck in a life where I have to look over my shoulder every day for fear of your anger issues."

"Maya please." His voice wavered as he gently took her hand. She didn't move it away, though she didn't tighten her hold on his either. "Please don't leave me. I would never hurt you."

She stayed silent, her fingers slightly shaking in his grasp. She was scared of him. He had done this. He'd scared her. He'd ruined them.

"Lucas…"

And his throat tightened when he heard his name fall from her lips. She never called him Lucas. Not unless things were serious. Not unless she'd really had enough.

"No. Not Lucas." he begged her, turning her around so she could see how sincere he was being, "I'm Ranger Rick, remember? Huckleberry?"

But her gaze remained steadfast and unmoved and in horror, Lucas realized her expression was closed off. The warmth in her gaze was tainted with pity and unease, and he felt his pulse quicken anxiously. Nothing he was saying was getting through to her.

"I need you... Maya please..."

She gently removed her hand from inside his, watching as it fell slack against his side. "What you need is real help…"

He panicked.

"Maya, I need _you_!" He could feel his tears trailing down his cheeks. What could he say to make her know he was sincere?! "Please, _please_ don't do this. I'm _begging_ you!"

He reached back up to touch her, hold her, _anything_ to show her how much he loved her. How much he cared. But Maya took a step away from him, biting her lip as it trembled.

"I can't do this anymore Lucas! Each time we argue it's like getting closer and closer to a fire! You're losing control of yourself!" Her eyes were watering, tears tumbling down her cheeks and she let out a choked sob, looking at the floor. "How long until you lose control for real?! How long until this happens again? How long… until I'm the one…"

The last part she had said quietly, in the midst of a sob, but he had heard it loud and clear, and it struck him like a knife to the chest.

He'd lost her trust.

"I wouldn't. Not to you. _Never_ to you!"

"That's a risk I don't want to take Lucas..."

"Maya I love you…" his voice cracked. "Please don't leave me."

She regarded him silently for a second, and he saw hope glimmering in her red rimmed eyes. Hope and something like a resolute finality.

And he knew that it was over.

"Lucas, I love you too." She took a slight step forward and reached up, tracing his face softly with gentle, trembling fingers. "But I need to be away from you…"

"Maya, no…"

"This isn't goodbye…" she sniffled, dropping her hands from his face and turning around, "But I don't know when I'll come back…"

"Maya…"

She walked away.

And Lucas watched her go, frozen in place, heart torn into two as her figure disappeared down the stairs.

He'd fucked up.

He'd fucked up and ruined the best thing that had ever happened to him.

And he collapsed to his knees, eyes shut tight and gripping his hair in despair as he cried.

He lost Maya.


	34. Are You Serious?

**Alright! If I haven't responded back to you or I forgot to respond to a review, I am so sorry! I did my best to try to find all the ones I missed, but I hope I got them all! Also, there will be two updates today because I mopped the floor with that exam! So I'm celebrating!**

 **Sorry! This one is a little rough, but after studying for forever and a day, I've lost a bit of my touch hahaha!**

 **On queue:** **Guest's request for Lucas coming home from war (i.e Homecoming Scene lol). (I got you, love ;3)**

 **Enjoy! Thanks for being patient with me! I know I'm a little scatterbrained, but I'm just glad you guys are sticking with me! Thank you! I love you all! :D**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own GMW.**

* * *

 **Title: Are You Serious?  
Pairings&Characters: Missy, Lucaya  
Genre: Romance, Humor (?), Angst, AU  
Rating: T for ...the fuck? Truce?  
Summary: Missy just wants to finish her damn quiz.**

 **Set** _ **during**_ **Trial and Error, before Riley figures out the system. From the line "The second yelling match had actually been in the middle of one class about something Riley couldn't even remember but knew it had been stupid. The teacher had kicked them out of class and told them not to come back until they stopped disrupting his lecture."**

 **(Order: Missy, Riley, Farkle, Auggie, Jealous!Lucas, Zay)**

 **Request by Modern Child Of Cicero for Missy POV for Lucaya fight! Thanks for the request! :3**

 **Inspired by Lunette, the most indifferent/aloof cat in the entire world.**

* * *

"Oh get over yourself. You think it matters?"

"It matters, Maya!"

Missy tapped her pencil against her forehead, glancing up at the arguing pair on the far side of the room with a raised eyebrow. Instead of working on the quiz, they were standing there yelling in each other's faces like some comical couple. The super short girl looking like an angry cat and the tall one hissing like one.

Were they for real?

Missy had missed school the day before because she'd been absent with a really bad cold, so she'd had to stay in study hall after school that day to complete the quiz she'd missed (although this thing was _definitely_ just as hard as a test… fuck this… their history teacher was an ass).

Apparently, Lucas and Maya were in study hall to finish their quizzes because they'd gotten kicked out of class for arguing during the lecture. Which was just so utterly stupid. How did one even start arguing during a class in the first place?

Normally, she didn't care about their fights. They happened sporadically enough that Missy had become blasé about it all, much like many of the students in school (save for Riley who, for some reason, had mini-meltdowns whenever they fought).

"Why do you always get so excited whenever you find out he's coming to visit?!"

"Because he's my _friend_! Chill the hell out!"

But even she couldn't deny the pinpricks of irritation that she felt because of their stupid argument. She just wanted to finish her quiz in peace so she could go home and get some sleep. Her nose was still stuffy and she just wanted some nice chicken noodle soup. But that wouldn't happen unless she finished the assignment. They were too damn loud. And normally she wouldn't care that much, but again: frickin' chicken noodle soup.

"Hey you two? You think you could pipe down a bit?"

But they kept right on arguing as if they hadn't heard her.

She rolled her eyes and went back to trying to solve the mystifying problems. The study hall room was pretty big, but she could hear everything that they were saying as if they were right next to her because they were yelling so loudly. Lucas and Maya were super cute as a couple, even she couldn't deny that, but damn they were kind of obnoxious sometimes.

Like right now.

To the point where she couldn't get her quiz-test thingy done because they were making it hard to pay attention.

And it already sucked that Missy had gotten sick two weeks before Spring Break of all times. She didn't want her mood dampened on vacation because of a fail grade _and_ a cold.

Urgh... and now her mind wasn't even on the quiz anymore. She had to focus and ignore the distractions.

Missy pursed her lips, deep in thought as she tried to think of the answer. If Mr. McCarthy came in to check on them, they'd get in trouble. It was no skin off her back.

"If it's not such a big deal, then why didn't you tell me you went to a movie with him?! Sounds oddly suspicious!"

"Are you accusing me of cheating?"

"Maybe I am!"

Silence.

Missy rolled her eyes.

These people were amateurs in the matters of love.

(Not that she was any better really… she was still looking for a boyfriend...)

"Trust works both ways, you know…"

Maya said it softly, and Missy peeked up through her bangs at them. Maya looked hurt, her eyebrows furrowed, and Lucas was staring down at her, looking remorseful.

It was too bad that they were fighting, but at least they had quieted, and she could get back to focusing on her quiz.

It was that way for a quite a while—quiet—as she concentrated and filled out her responses on the sheet of paper.

Hell, almost too quiet really.

She frowned.

Would they finish on time? There were only a handful of minutes left and they'd been fighting for most of the time. She was a _little_ worried.

Don't get her wrong. She wasn't particularly good friends with either of them, but it wasn't like she wanted them to fail.

"Hey are you guys almost done with..."

Under normal circumstances, she generally kept an air of indifference, unconcerned by the events and going-ons of her classmates, but she honestly didn't know why now of all times she decided to get involved.

It was a mistake.

Because right on the other side of the room, Lucas had Maya seated on the table, holding her by the waist, her legs hooked around him while she tugged him closer .

And they were kissing each other heatedly, Maya's hands tangled in his hair, Lucas leaning into her as they made out.

It was kind of like watching a dirty movie kiss. One with tongue and bodies pressed all close and soft, breathless sighs and Maya's little gasps against his mouth.

Man… she wanted to be kissed like that…

And then Maya tugged him down on top of her as she fell back against the table and Missy's eyes widened.

Oh _hell_ no.

She shot up—unfinished test be damned—and left the room without wasting another second. She didn't give a shit that her test was incomplete. Nothing could make her stay and finish that test if they were going to do _that_.

Missy considered herself generally unaffected by bullshit and she honestly didn't care about things that went on around her, but _that_?

That had been intense and out of control and she didn't even know why she had bothered to stay so long in the first place.

She shuddered as she walked briskly back to McCarthy's room.

She'd always known they were an odd little couple, but were they serious?

She would never be able to study APUSH without thinking of their little tryst again.


	35. Worlds Apart

**Update-A-Day Marathon will be ending after these next three oneshots and updates will be slowed to whenever I have the most time, however, like I said, I will still be honouring requests in between my regularly scheduled oneshots! :) It's been a great experience and totally fun, but very time consuming (and not conducive to good study habits lolol)! Plus, I don't want to start getting too repetitive, so taking longer breaks between chapters will help me sort my thoughts and think of more creative ways to spin these requests!  
**

 **Also, 'Forever' _is_ the chapter before Worlds Apart in Love And War, just published outside of the compilation because it was way over my word cap for any of the one shots. **

**Lol sorry about my absence! I actually got lazy for a couple days there...**

 **On queue: miaadventure's request for Maya + bathroom = uh oh  
**

 **Enjoy! Thank you for the reviews! It means the world to me that you all take time out of your busy days to review me! (Even through my doofy mistakes lol) :D  
**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own GMW.**

* * *

 **Title: Worlds Apart  
Pairings&Characters: Lucas, Maya, Lucaya** **, Riley  
Genre: Romance, Angst, Hurt/Comfort, Fluff, AU  
Rating: T for ******Trying To Make It Work  
** Summary: _"Our lives were now worlds apart, separated by time, circumstance, and the unbridgeable chasm of money."_ ~Travis Luedke  
**

 **Sequel to Miles Apart!**

 **Request by Isazu for Lucaya's long distance relationship! Thank you for your patience with my doofiness! I appreciate the request! :3 (To be revised later!)  
**

* * *

 _"So did you make up your mind?" Maya asked, picking her nails in annoyance._

 _"Maya, we need to talk." Lucas said, frowning._

 _She stared at him blankly though, deep down, her trepidation was growing. She had Skyped Lucas so they could clear the air after the small argument they'd had a couple days ago over the phone. They were graduating in a year, and she'd asked him what his graduation plans were. She had hoped he would tell her he was coming back to New York. But his response hadn't exactly been what she had been expecting. In fact, he hesitated, telling her he had to think things through before he made his decision._

 _"I have to pick the best vet school for me and where I'm planning to head in my life." he continued, "And that means staying in Texas."_

 _So he was choosing Texas._

 _Which meant he wasn't choosing_ her _._

 _Maya's eyes narrowed in annoyance. "Look, I get that, but can't you just change your plans and come to school here in New York? How hard is it to apply to vet schools in New York?"_

 _They'd been together about three years now and she could count on two hands the amount of times they'd visited each other._

 _At first everything was fine. Freshman year, they used any and all vacations and breaks to visit the other, even visiting each other on random weekends. She had spent the first month of their summer after freshman year in Texas with him, and he had spent the last month of that same summer in New York with her._

 _But when their sophomore year started, things got difficult._

 _They had their own goals and things that needed to be done over the summer. Maya's curriculum and class schedule was a little different than a typical undergraduate schedule so she didn't often have the same breaks at the same time as Lucas. And Lucas held a steady part-time job and volunteered often at animal clinics around his campus._

 _The summer of their sophomore year, neither had had time to visit the other because Maya had taken a summer art class in Florence, and Lucas had an internship over the break. And having to buy a phone card to telephone each other had been a real hassle, not to mention they'd been entirely engrossed in their own activities that they hadn't really made time for each other._

 _Their little romance had hit a snag. They were busy people. And it was expensive for either of them to keep flying to visit the other._

 _The real cracks in their relationship started showing since junior year started. Small annoyances at not being able to see each other for so long grew and became the center of many of their problems. It was like they both were irritated with the other for not making more efforts to see each other, but neither of them were willing to make the sacrifice either._

 _They were in totally different worlds now._

 _And it was tearing them apart._

 _"Maya, I can't do that." Lucas growled in annoyance, "It makes the most sense for me to stay here."_

 _"And then what? I have to wait until you're done with_ your _plans?" Maya snapped, feeling her irritation start to mount. "I already only see you like twice a semester. I'm not going to sit here and wait for you forever!"_

 _"We've had this argument a thousand times." Lucas said through grit teeth, "Stop being so selfish!"_

 _And Maya did a double take in shock, anger surging up within her before she could even think to tamper it down. Did he really have the nerve to just call her_ selfish _?_

 _"_ Selfish?! _" she exploded, "I have been unbelievably self_ less _and patient for the past two years through every one of your cancellations and planned everything in my schedule according to_ your _damn time! Need I remind you I didn't even want to tell you how I felt in the first place for this reason? This is exactly why I didn't want to start a relationship after high school! I should have just followed my instinct!"_

 _"So what are you saying?" Lucas asked, eyes narrowed, "We should break up?"_

 _"You tell me." She crossed her arms in front of her chest. "It's been three years, and I want you around now. I'm done sacrificing my happiness."_

 _"Maya, can't you be more understanding? I'm trying to make this work."_

 _"I'm trying to be understanding, but let's face it Lucas! If we're going to continue to be in a relationship past college, it's not going to work for me to see you twice a year and spend the rest of my time sitting around while watching everyone else have their romances."_

 _"Well you're going to have to Maya! This is a great opportunity for me. I have vet assistant positions available and several internship opportunities here. I have contacts here. What am I supposed to do? Give up everything I'm working for in the future just because you're a little_ lonely _?"_

 _They both fell abruptly silent after the last words, and even Lucas grimaced at the harshness of his tone. Maya's face fell, and she felt her throat tighten dangerously at the way he had spat those words like he thought her reservations and wants were entirely ridiculous. It was like a slap to the face and she had to chew on the inside of her cheek to keep herself from crying. Only Lucas was capable of hurting her like this._

 _And he'd definitely succeeded._

 _"You know… Our goals in life are different. But I thought despite that, we could make it work." Maya said, knowing the back of her eyes were stinging with tears. "I just want to be with you, but clearly, you don't care."_

 _He ran a hand through his hair, looking entirely exasperated and apologetic at once. "Maya, you know that's not true."_

 _"Regardless…" She averted her gaze from the screen, staring at the picture on her desk of the two of them. They were sitting atop a horse, cowboy hats on their heads, Lucas holding her waist from behind as she tugged on the reins of the first horse she'd ever ridden. It was from the summer she'd spent a month in Texas. Funny how her optimism for their long distance relationship since then had almost completely dissipated. "I think we should take a break. I need some time to think about things…"_

 _When she spared the screen a glance, Lucas' jaw was clenched tight, eyes hardened with anger and something like disappointment and hurt._

 _"Fine." he growled._

 _"Bye."_

 _"Bye."_

 _Maya cut the call and closed her laptop's screen, letting out a long sigh. Her eyes welled with tears despite her efforts to keep it from happening, and she sat at her desk, silently staring at the photograph as tears rolled down her cheeks._

 _Dammit._

* * *

Maya kicked her feet up on Riley's desk, sighing for the umpteenth time that day.

She stared at the Happy Birthday balloon bouncing around near the corner of the wall of Riley's dorm room. The smiley face was mocking her, and she briefly wondered if Riley would get mad if she took a pencil and popped the damn thing.

Maya just wasn't in a festive mood.

For the first time in three years, her birthday was finally on a weekend—the perfect time to celebrate with her loved ones without their commitments getting in the way—and she wasn't technically with Lucas anymore. She would have asked him to come up for the weekend, but she honestly felt a little awkward. They'd been on break for two months going on three, and hadn't said a word to each other since that stupid fight. And yeah, he'd sent her a Christmas gift, a new set of acrylic paints she'd wanted all semester (it had made her cry), but there had been no call or text (which had made her cry again) or anything for her birthday.

And that stung.

Sure, they were on a break, but that didn't mean they weren't still friends. Was he so angry at her that he couldn't even contact her on her birthday?

Riley entered her dorm room, slapping her hands together in satisfaction. "Okay. I'm finished using the potty."

Maya made a noncommittal noise from her throat, tossing Riley's stress ball up, a little lost in thought.

Since she had woken up in the afternoon, she'd nearly been glued to her phone hoping Lucas would contact her. How hard was it for someone to send a stupid happy birthday text? It wasn't like he had to be super bubbly like Riley with all caps and exclamation marks taking up a whole page by themselves and every single emoji available, regardless of relevance. A simple ' _happy bday_ ' even sufficed. And now it was already late evening, and there hadn't been a word from him.

It was just rude.

"So… have you talked to Lucas today… or…" Riley asked tentatively, glancing nervously at Maya as she tugged on her boots.

"No. And I'd rather we didn't mention him at all today." Maya said, putting the stress ball back in its proper place.

"But Maya, you could—"

"Don't Riley. I want to enjoy my birthday. Not think about him."

Though she had definitely been failing…

"But—"

"I mean it Riley. No Lucas talk." Maya frowned. "I know you don't like to let things go, but I'm asking you to this time."

"I just think that—"

"Ring power." Maya said, lifting her hand up with a roll of her eyes. "Don't mention Lucas again."

"Fine." Riley pouted cutely, looking really disappointed. "I won't mention him."

"Good." Maya stood up, stretching her arms over her head as Riley pulled on her coat. "So what do you have on the agenda tonight?"

Riley took a bandana out of her closet and then walked over to Maya.

"Close your eyes." she giggled excitedly.

Maya did such and then felt Riley cover her eyes with the bandana before tying it in a tight knot at the back of her head.

"Riley, what are you doing?"

"Taking you to your obvious 22nd birthday party in a super-secret location!"

"Riley, I hope you didn't plan anything crazy. This birthday isn't even important."

" _All_ of your birthdays are important." Riley scolded. "Because you're important to me."

Maya let out a little sigh, though she smiled. "Thank you Riley."

She decided to keep her mouth shut and let Riley take her wherever. After all, Riley had gone through all this effort. She might as well humor her. And hey, maybe this party could help take her mind off of the fact that things weren't the same without her boyfriend. And that they hadn't been the same since they'd gone on their break.

Riley tugged her around as they walked, spinning her in circles occasionally to disorient her so she couldn't use her mind's eye to figure out where they were headed. Maya had done really well guessing where they were up until they got outside of Riley's dorm building. But after being forced into two different taxis and then pushed up a bunch of flights of steps and then into an elevator and then up another flight of steps (all while occasionally being spun around), she was totally lost. She was completely and utterly confused. It didn't help that Riley had been chattering excitedly about some frat party she'd gone to with some friends that got busted by the cops.

"Alright Maya. We're here." Riley said, pushing her forward through a door that's hinges squeaked noisily when it was opened.

A cold brush of wind slapped Maya in the face, and she heard some soft rock playing in the background accompanied by the sounds of snickering and whispering people.

Riley pulled the blindfold off of Maya's head.

" _SURPRISE!_ "

They were on the roof of the Matthews' apartment complex. Standing around the roof, all smiling and holding drinks and cheerful expressions were her friends—new and old—all there to celebrate her birthday.

And Maya's eyes widened as her mouth fell slightly open.

It had been decorated spectacularly. There were golden lanterns placed everywhere, the roof looking almost ethereal. The whole party was illuminated by twinkling lights in the shape of stars fastened everywhere to wires that had been attached to all the poles. Bartender serving free blue cocktails off at the side. A chocolate fountain. A cake decorated in the form of Starry Night by Van Gogh.

It was beautiful.

It was everything she'd wanted for this birthday.

But Maya knew she hadn't told anyone about that dream aside from Lucas in passing on some phone call a while ago. Her eyes roved over all the people in front of her, searching somewhat frantically for him.

But he wasn't there.

And suddenly, she really wanted him to be.

It tore her up a bit inside, but she swallowed the lump in her throat and turned to Riley slightly in front of her with a somewhat forced smile, though she masked her disappointment well. They'd all put work into this party. It would be wrong for her to not enjoy it just because someone she really wanted to be there wasn't.

"How did you know about my Starry Night party fantasy?"

"Actually I didn't…" Riley looked past Maya's shoulder somewhere behind her. "But _he_ did."

Maya spun around in surprise, her heart almost immediately starting to race.

Lucas was standing behind her, scratching the back of his head and looking a little sheepish.

"Hey."

"Lucas…"

"I know you probably don't want me here, but it's your birthday and—"

She didn't even think twice and launched herself into his arms, wrapping her arms around him and burying her face in his chest. Lucas was a little caught off guard by her sudden embrace, but he soon wrapped his arms around her too, holding her tight to _awww's_ and cheers and whoops from the people behind her. She knew that technically they were still on break, but it didn't matter because she was so happy.

She had missed him for the past three months and she couldn't even remember why their argument had mattered so much because the most important thing to her was that she wanted to be with him.

 _He's here._

And somehow, it was the best present she'd ever gotten in her life.

"He was actually following us the whole time after we got out of my room." Riley giggled. "That's why I blindfolded you! So you wouldn't see him. I was trying to throw hints, but you ring powered me."

Maya let out a happy laugh and pulled back, resting her chin on his chest and gazing happily up at him.

"You came…"

"Of course I would."

And she knew, unspoken, that their little break was over.

She leaned up as he leaned down and met his lips in a sweet kiss that had her shivering in pleasure and had goosebumps rising on her arms. It was like she'd been deprived of something she needed for so long.

"Happy birthday Maya." He whispered against her lips.

And she kissed him again.

~.~.~

"It was really nice of your roommate to offer to stay at her friend's tonight." Lucas said.

"I mean, let's be honest…" Maya laughed, shifting slightly so she could more comfortably lay her head on his chest. "She didn't really have a choice."

"You've got a point." He chuckled softly, his hand softly stroking her back.

She hummed and snuggled further into him, glad that he was back. But she knew this whole thing was kind of a cease-fire in a sense. She was really enjoying Lucas' company, but just because they were together again didn't mean that anything had been resolved. They couldn't leave it unsettled because the same fight would just continue to happen over and over. And as much as it pained her to ruin their peaceful moment, she knew she needed to bring it up again.

But at least she had her mind made up now. She'd decided during the party.

She just needed to see what _he_ wanted.

"So what happens next, Huckleberry?" She glanced up at him. "We're back, but…"

"Maya, I honestly need you in my life. I know that now." he said, his arms tightening the slightest bit around her, "And I get it. I know waiting around for someone is hard to deal with. But I've been waiting around for you too. It's not a one way street. We need to lean on each other emotionally if we want this thing to work."

"But then what?" She pressed. "We graduate. You stay in Texas for vet school; I travel a bit and practice my art, maybe try to get a teaching license. When will we ever see each other again?"

"I don't know, but I was miserable without you Maya. Not hearing your voice every week; it was hard. I don't know what to do, but I don't want to let you go. Even if I know you want something better."

And that was all she needed to hear.

Maya pulled herself up from under the toasty warmth of her covers, sitting up and looking down at him.

"Lucas, I made up my mind." Maya said seriously, "I don't want to be with you if it means I can only see you every once in a while."

Lucas stiffened, his gaze growing a little anxious and concerned.

"So after I graduate, I'm moving to Texas." Maya continued. "It's not worth not seeing each other for years. So I'm coming to you. I'm the one who can shift my life more easily. And since I don't have a finalized plan yet for the future, it makes the most sense to me."

By that point, Lucas' eyebrows had lifted quite high in surprise, and he sat up as well, grasping her shoulders in concern.

"Maya, that's too much. You don't have to do that."

"I want to." she said, smiling a little bashfully when his astonished look grew into an elated one, "I don't know what our future will hold in the long run, but I know I want to be with you in the future, so if that means relocating, then so be it. I think that's the best way to handle it. And that way, even if I travel, I know I can always come home to you. And after your day, you can come home to me."

Lucas didn't say anything for a while, just watching her.

Then he leaned in and kissed her softly. And it was so mind-numbing and warm and loving that Maya's breath was stolen from her. She was a little dizzy when he pulled away from her, staring a little stunned into his soft sea-foam green eyes.

"You would do that for me?"

"I love you." She said seriously, sliding her arms up around his neck. "Of course I would."

Lucas grinned, looking so unbelievably happy and his smile so infectious that Maya's lips pulled into a smile as well.

"Maya, I love you so much. That means the world. Honestly, I don't know what I—"

Maya tugged him forward, silencing him with her lips. Then she pulled away, giving him a pointed look and raised eyebrow. Lucas searched her eyes a bit dazed for a few seconds before smiling and pulling her into him, meeting her lips in a heated kiss that left Maya breathless.

They had all the time in the world to talk. Right now, they had three months' worth of catching up to do.

And it was still going to be a little hard because they had their senior year to go through, but at least she knew she would be able to see him whenever she wanted after they graduated. And to her, that was worth it.

Lucas had been right all those years ago.

He said they would figure it out.

And they did.


	36. FML

**This is my cheap and crappy attempt at some jovial (and crude?) potty humor. Or something lighthearted and airy really. (Still trying to remove Forever from my system after writing it lol...)  
**

 **Guys, I'm off my vibe... I've been super fatigued recently and sleeping has been a bit rough because I've caught some sort of crappy summer cold (FROM YOU ALLIE! :P) So sorry if updates for any story I promised have been slow or haven't come out at all yet. Every time I sit down to write, I get fatigued and lose momentum. Hopefully I can get it together by the end of the week.**

 **On queue: jennnnnnnyyyyy's request for Badass/Jealous ( _JealASS_ )!Lucas lololol (I'm doing your non smut request that you asked for instead) :3  
**

 **Enjoy! I really appreciate the reviews! Thank you for reading these wacka doodle one shots hahahah! You all are so sweet! :D  
**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own GMW.**

* * *

 **Title: FML  
Pairings&Characters: Maya, Lucas** **  
Genre: Humor (potty), Friendship, Angst (?), AU  
Rating: T for ******Toilet Paper! Pronto!  
** Summary: Shit.  
**

 ** _Kind of_ based on a true, unfortunate story -_-;  
**

 **Request by miaadventure for Maya needing toilet paper. Thank you for the request! X3  
**

* * *

Maya was sitting nonchalantly at the kitchen table, twirling her pencil in between her fingers when she felt it again:

The _really_ strong urge to pee.

She'd been ignoring it for the past thirty minutes or so, having finally found her rhythm studying for the finals, and the last thing she had wanted to do was break her concentration just to go take a piss.

But now she couldn't ignore it. It was pressing rather insistently, and she knew if she didn't get on that toilet right then, she was going to spill her pants. Hell, she could already feel the liquid slowly trickling out.

Maya held it as hard as she could and hopped off of her kitchen stool, holding her crotch and rushing over to her bathroom. She opened up the door and then paused when she remembered that she didn't have soap and toilet paper. It had been on her to do list for things to buy after finals and something she deemed wasn't necessarily important since she spent most of her time out of her apartment, but now that she was in a pinch, she realized the error in her ways.

"Shit."

The urge to pee suddenly intensified, and Maya rushed back to her kitchen, hopping onto her stool and squirming around with a grimace, fighting the incessant pressure for her to just release it and end her misery. She clenched her teeth tightly, frantically jiggling her leg up and down and moving around in her seat for it to finally stop.

The minute the pressure momentarily lost intensity, she wasted no time, shooting off of the stool and racing out of her apartment to the one next door. She knew Lucas had toilet paper that he kept stocked up.

His door was locked when she tried it, but she had crashed at his place for food enough times now that he'd taken to leaving her a key under his welcome mat. She stooped and swiped it up immediately, unlocking the door and racing inside.

Normally, she would use the bathroom attached to his bedroom (it smelled like vanilla and it had the fluffiest hand towels she'd ever used in her entire life!), but by that point, she could feel the tension building once again with a vengeance, and she knew if she didn't sit her ass down on the loo, she was going to have an accident. And from the way the urge grew so strong she had to bend over and take slow, _slow_ steps she knew time was up.

There would be no way to hold it back after this.

This flow was _raging_. And it definitely was not giving up without a fight.

"Fuckfuckfuckfuckfuck…"

She straightened up rapidly and flung herself into the bathroom near the kitchen, yanking up the seat and sitting down after nearly tearing her leggings off. With a satisfied sigh, she closed her eyes, the relief so all-encompassing that she slouched in her seat. She didn't understand why she kept doing that 'full bladder about to leak all over' crap to herself if she suffered so much trying to get to the bathroom afterward.

And then she turned to her right to grab some toilet paper only to realize, in slight horror, that there was none. There was just the little plastic bar that held the rolls.

But no toilet paper.

Maya blinked at it for a second, a little confused that Lucas had forgotten to restock. He was usually good about these things.

She opened up the sink cabinets, wondering if there would be an extra roll. But it was empty, save for some cleaning supplies. Groaning under her breath, she leaned forward as far as she could without coming off the seat and opened the bathroom door a crack.

"Hey Huckleberry!" she shouted, "Mind bringing me some toilet paper?"

There was no response.

Was he even at home?

Maya shut the door and groaned, running her hand through her hair. He could very well have been out to dinner or studying at the campus library.

"Great…"

She was trapped in Lucas' guest bathroom with no toilet paper, and he wasn't even home. She eyed the Clorox disinfectant wipes in the cupboard and vaguely wondered if she should use those. But she winced, knowing the chemicals in the cleaning solution would probably burn the shit out of her bum.

She could use her underwear, but this was her last clean pair, and she sure as hell didn't want to soil it when she didn't have any clean laundry at the moment (she usually waited until Lucas went to the laundromat every two Sundays and then would slip her stuff in inconspicuously).

There wasn't even the leftover brown cardboard roll for her to use! And she _refused_ to use her hand. Maya didn't consider herself a particularly _clean_ person necessarily, but she wasn't disgusting. And touching her own pee was on her list of absolutely disgusting things.

Maya didn't know where Lucas kept his extra toilet paper, but she figured if anything, he would probably have a roll in his personal one. She'd just head there and finish up and leave. She wiggled a bit in her seat to clear as much as she could before standing up. She left the bathroom, walking as briskly as she could, with her leggings and panties around her knees, towards his bedroom in the back.

And as she walked by the living room—the very _open_ living room that was impossible to avoid—she froze.

Because sitting on the couches, headphones over their ears as they played some video game, were Lucas and three of his friends.

Their eyes all turned to her, wide and jaws a little slack. The game was long forgotten, controllers falling out of hands in shock. She wondered what was going through their minds right now, seeing some strange blonde girl sneaking around Lucas' apartment, pants around her knees.

"M-Maya?" Lucas looked absolutely floored.

Well.

This was fucking awkward.

Maya had been in her fair share of awkward situations before, but damn… this took the cake.

She sighed, fighting her blush.

 _When in doubt, act indifferent._

By that point, they'd all already seen her bum anyway. There was nothing she could do. So she ignored the flabbergasted looks on their faces, continuing her stiff walk to Lucas' bathroom. She finished up in there, wiping, flushing, pulling up her pants and washing her hands.

She took the roll with her, walking out of his room and back through the living room, keeping her eyes straight forward and not on the guys watching her in stupefied bewilderment. She flushed what she'd left in the his other bathroom, walked out of his apartment, and went back to her own.

Needless to say, that was the last time Maya went to Lucas' apartment for the rest of the semester.


	37. Don't Fuck With Maya Hart

**Lol, sorry. I've gotten worse at writing trash talk! And I've never written a fight scene before... Oh well. First time for everything! I hope it suffices loves! X3 Also, I have one of my headcanons in this oneshot, but it is not associated with any other stories. Characters are 17-18.  
**

 **Hi Guest who commented "WHO'S GETTING MARRIED HERE?!" Sorry I forgot to respond to your review a week ago! Maya is getting married in that one shot. And Lucas objects. :)**

 **On queue: shortstackxx's request for *wink wink, nudge nudge* ;3  
**

 **Enjoy! Thank you for the reviews! You guys are the sweetest! I really appreciate it! :D  
**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own GMW.**

* * *

 **Title: Don't Fuck With Maya Hart  
Pairings&Characters: Horny!Maya, JealAss!Lucas** **, Lucaya  
Genre: Romance, Angst, Humor, Friendship, AU  
Rating: High T for ******Turned On As Fuck  
** Summary: You fuck with Maya Hart, you'll get _fucked_ : by Lucas Friar. And not in the good way.  
**

 **Request by jennnnnnnyyyyy for Lucas beating someone up for breaking Maya's heart, and Maya getting turned on. I know you requested _Josh_ be the one to get beat up, but I already did a Lucas punching Josh, so I hope this suffices instead! If it doesn't, feel free to request something else, and I will be happy to honour it in the future. Thanks for the request! :3  
**

 **Request by Guest for Lucas getting jealous (because you think it's hot ;D). I hope it's enjoyable! Thank you for the request! :)  
**

 **Request by Tabby for Lucas getting in a fight with someone because they hurt Maya. It might be a little different than what you expected because I interpreted "hurt" a little loosely, but I hope it works for you! Thank you for the request X3  
**

 **Request by Guest for Lucas beating someone up because they did something to Maya.** **Thank you for the request, love! xD**

 **Request by StarbucksIsB for Lucas being jealous, and Maya thinking it's hot.** **I hope this is somewhat close to what you were expecting. Thank you for the request :D  
**

 **Request by Guest for someone kissing Maya while she and Lucas are at the park and Lucas getting jealous. It's not _quite_ what you requested because I tweaked and cut the prompt, but there is a reference that is close. Thank you for the request! ****;3**

 **(Hopefully all these requests were somewhat satisfied in this one story hahah! LOL)**

* * *

Oh hell no.

Maya stared at the spectacle in front of her, her eyes narrowed and blood roaring in her ears.

How dare he?

"Maya…" Riley said softly beside her, touching her wrist to try to calm her down, reassure her, _anything_.

But Maya snapped her wrist away and stomped forward, scowling furiously.

"How the hell could you, you dick?!" she shouted.

Asher removed his tongue from down the girl's throat long enough to glance at Maya. "Oh. You."

"You're cheating on me?!"

He shrugged, snorting, and let go of the girl, crossing his arms in front of his chest. "Yeah, so?"

Some students stopped in the hallway, watching the scene, curious at what was going on and why Maya was yelling.

"Why the hell would you do that?!"

"Because I want to. Besides," he scoffed, "You didn't really think I was a one gal kind of guy did you?"

"You lied to me and made me think you actually cared!" Maya snapped, more upset and angry over herself and the fact that she was humiliated than the fact that he had actually cheated on her.

"Oh that?" He let out a short bark of laughter. "That was just so I could get in your pants."

The girl next to him started laughing as well, and Maya felt her anger increase tenfold. This asshole. After all the time she'd put in their stupid relationship! Everything she'd done for him, everything she'd done _with_ him. This guy had played her like a fiddle and she'd fallen for all of his stupid traps despite her friends' warnings.

Maya's fists clenched tightly, her hands shaking a bit in anger. She was going to kick Asher's ass. She was going to shove her damn heel _straight_ up his bung hole and kick his ass so hard he'd have to shit through his mouth so help her—

A heavy hand settled on her shoulder.

A familiar hand.

"Move."

It was Lucas.

She looked up at him when she heard his tone, and her eyes widened as she recognized the ominous look in his eyes. He was scowling, his entire body stiff and irate. There was a dark, treacherous air surrounding him, one that made Maya's breath hitch in her chest, and she moved aside almost involuntarily, standing back next to a worried Riley.

Lucas walked calmly towards Asher, his steps slow and steady. Anyone else who didn't know Lucas would have thought he was perfectly fine, but those who knew him could easily see that some shit was about to go down.

"You too." Lucas said to the other girl near Asher. "Move."

The girl yelped in surprise when Lucas approached and skittered off to the side where a few other people had stopped, watching the brewing confrontation with interest.

Asher squared his shoulders, lifting his chin and raising a brow as he faced Lucas.

"Got a problem, Friar?"

"What the hell did you just say to Maya?" Lucas questioned, the hardened edge in his tone belying the low volume of his voice.

"What? You didn't hear? I used her. Had my fun with her." Asher sneered, "What the fuck do you care anyway?"

Lucas' eyes narrowed, but he said nothing.

"Oh wait. Don't tell me…" Asher laughed derisively, looking from Lucas to Maya and back again. "You have a thing for her."

Lucas still didn't respond, but from the way his back stiffened, Maya knew it was true. Her eyes widened in slight shock at the revelation, her pulse speeding up. He liked her? The only reason why Maya had been dating so many other people was because she thought Lucas wasn't interested.

By now, a little crowd had started gathering, people pulling out their phones, excited by the brewing hostility between the two boys.

"Oh _man!_ This is pathetic! Here you are, defending her honour and shit, and Maya's been dating someone else this entire time." Asher laughed again, harder than before. "Does it bother you that I've seen more of Maya than you ever will?"

Lucas' fists clenched.

"Shut the hell up." he growled through grit teeth.

The people in the crowd bristled at Lucas' tone, taking a few steps away from the two boys. And Maya felt a chill run down her back. But not a chill of fright.

Oh no.

This was _heat_ stirring up in her body. A sudden, burning desire.

"You jealous?" Asher snorted.

"Maya." Riley whispered in her ear in distress, clutching her shoulders. "If we don't do something, Lucas is going to fight him."

"Why are you worried?" Maya said absentmindedly, eyes trained only on Lucas and the intensity of his menacing glare. "He won't get hurt."

"I'm not worried about _Lucas_." Riley corrected, "I'm worried about Asher! And yes, he's an absolute jerk for doing that to you, and I don't like him at all, but Lucas looks seriously mad! He's actually going to _hurt_ him."

"Yeah… He probably will…"

"Maya, are you listening to me?"

She wasn't.

Maya bit her lower lip, loving the way Lucas' whole being seemed to _exude_ some kind of carnal animosity and animalistic rage. She could see his patience wearing thin with the way his fists were shaking slightly.

It was so fucking hot.

"You know what's so funny about this whole thing? I've had Maya so many times. For _free_. And you've probably been wanking every night, wishing it was you."

"You need to shut the fuck up." Lucas said, his eyes glinting sharply.

"I guess if there's one thing I'll miss about her, it's her tight, hot, p—"

His fist flew up before anyone could really notice it, and Lucas decked him right under the chin. _Hard_. There was a bang as Asher's head snapped back and smashed into the lockers behind him.

Riley gasped beside Maya, her hands coming to her mouth in shock. A hushed lull fell over the crowd, everybody holding their breaths at the impending fight.

Asher glared at Lucas, his nostrils flared slightly as he wiped away the blood on his lips coming from his bitten tongue.

And he lunged at him.

They grappled with each other, throwing punches and dodging strikes, running into the locker a couple times. The crowd was going wild, shouting and cheering as the two boys went through their physical altercation, growling and snarling at each other.

"Guys! Stop fighting!" Riley shouted, "You'll get in trouble with the teachers!"

"No…" Maya said, her eyes wide and a slow smile growing on her face, "Let them fight."

"Maya, they're both fighting because of you, you know that right? You need to stop this fight!"

But Maya said nothing, her eyes only on Lucas and the way he got shots in. Clearly he had the upper hand. He fought like a pro. Controlled, patient, _strong as hell_.

She _loved_ it.

The way his furious expression never wavered, his eyes cold and dangerous and so fucking _sexy_. Lip curled in an enraged snarl. The tight muscles of his arm straining inside the sleeves of his shirt. The veins in his hands and forearm. She shuddered a bit, tingles shooting down her back and warmth pooling at her core. Lucas angry was attractive, but _this_ Lucas, consumed with rage and unrelentingly aggressive?

Maya didn't think she'd ever wanted him more.

Lucas socked Asher across the face, and there was a resounding _oooh_ at the sound as he gripped his jaw in pain. Then he drove a first into Asher's stomach and the boy grunted and stumbled backwards, doubling over, a strangled groan escaping his lips.

Lucas stepped up to him and twisted his grip into the collar of his shirt. He forced Asher up, straightening him so he was eye level with him. And then he slammed him into the locker, pinning him so he couldn't move. Asher's eyes went wide, startled by the easy brutality oozing off of Lucas. He put his hands up in surrender, a slightly mortified look on his face.

"Hey man. Calm down. I was just—"

"If you ever go near Maya again, touch Maya again, look at Maya again, or even think about Maya again," Lucas growled darkly, his gaze burning with restrained rage, "You're dead. We clear?"

Asher nodded, stunned into silence.

"Good." Lucas took a step back. "Now go to the nurse and get your jaw checked out and iced before it swells."

Lucas let go of him, and Asher walked off towards the nurse, holding his jaw and looking over his shoulder in something like fright. Lucas wiped a little blood from the corner of his own mouth, grimacing slightly.

"Lucas…" Maya said, breaking out of Riley's hold.

He spun around, blinking in surprise, as if snapped out of a daze and just then realizing what had transpired. He watched Maya with a bit of trepidation in his eyes.

"Maya." He licked his lips nervously. "I'm sorry. I know I shouldn't have attacked him like that. I just…"

Maya disregarded his words, her gaze trained on his as her breathing harshened the slightest bit. Her whole body felt like it was crackling, sparking with electricity and the burning need to feel his arms around her. To have him touch her.

She was so painfully turned on.

"Maya?"

Maya said nothing, ignoring his words, and approached him slowly, her eyes on his. The glint from his rage hadn't quite subsided yet and Maya's arousal grew, adrenaline pulsing through her veins. She placed her hands on his chest and pushed him roughly against the lockers. He staggered back, his back banging against the metal. His gaze grew defensive for a moment, arms rising slightly to fend her off.

But Maya didn't attack him.

Not that way anyway.

She grabbed the collar of his shirt, yanked him down forcefully, and crushed her lips to his.

He was a little stunned for a few seconds, but with a low growl his hands slid down her sides, gripping her hips, and he kissed her back, hard and hot and hungry. She tangled her hands into his hair, tilting her head to deepen the embrace, already drowning in pleasure from the torturous, possessive way with which he moved his mouth with hers. It ignited something in her, something dizzying and carnal and animalistic that pooled fire low in her abdomen. She moaned into his mouth as he tugged her closer to him, trails of fire burning her body when his tongue slipped in between her parted lips and caressed her own.

It was wild. Intoxicating.

She wanted more.

She _needed_ more.

They broke apart, lips barely centimeters apart, chests heaving, breaths mingling together as they stared at each other, lost in their clouds of lust, everything around them nonexistent. Lucas' gaze was heady and darkened with desire, and Maya felt a ripple of pleasure dance along her spine. She could feel his arousal pressing against her and let out a shaky breath, licking her swollen lips. Things had spiraled out of control in a matter of seconds. She was way too far gone to even consider stopping now, middle of the school day be damned.

She wanted Lucas to fuck her.

Right then. Right there.

"Janitor's closet?"

"Janitor's closet."


	38. You Got What?

**Hi Lucaya Trash! Thank you for the Mean Girls reference! It's been a while since I've seen that movie x) Hi Emily! Lucas punches Josh in 'He's Jealous' or chapter 29 if you're on mobile. And thank you! You're very sweet! :3**

 **On queue: Guest request for Shawn POV of Lucaya fight!  
**

 **Enjoy! Thank you for all your support! Each and every one of you is so special to me, and I am so unbelievably happy that I have met some of the truly nicest, loveliest, most wonderful people in the Lucaya fandom! This summer has been absolutely extraordinary because of you all! :'D  
**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own GMW.**

* * *

 **Title: You Got What?  
Pairings&Characters: Cory, Lucas, Maya, Farkle, Lucaya** **  
Genre: Angst, Humor,** **Romance,** **Friendship, Canon (Future)  
Rating: K+ for ******Killer Puns  
** Summary: I got lei'd.  
**

 **Inspired by and based on a conversation with shortstackxx! This is an idea about how if GMW decides to address losing virginities and such, this is one way they could do it while still keeping it PG!  
**

 **(Set in their Junior yr of High School with Cory still being their history teacher).**

* * *

Cory entered his classroom confidently, a smile on his face as his students settled in their seats. He had a great lecture planned for the day. Something intriguing that he knew the students would enjoy.

The Roaring Twenties.

A great topic for a great day. And the day really had started great. Riley hadn't dropped her cereal all over the carpet, Topanga had given him two extra scoops of scrambled eggs, Auggie had woken up on time so there had been no fumbling around to rush him off to school.

Though he had found it strange that Maya hadn't graced them with her presence at the breakfast table.

Riley had told him that Maya was sleeping in that morning, and he had found it strange. Maya was an early to rise kind of gal, despite what one would expect. He wondered if she would come to class on time today.

He set his briefcase on the desk, observing the students there and mentally taking attendance. Everyone was there in their typical seats. Darby behind Sarah as usual. Yogi next to Riley. Farkle behind Riley.

But no Lucas. And no Maya.

Huh.

It looked like Maya wouldn't be making it to class then. But Lucas' absence was mystifying. It wasn't like him to be absent and he was rarely late, except on occasions where he visited his father in Texas. But Cory had seen Lucas yesterday, and there had been no mention of travel to the other state.

Oh well. He would find out why there was the absence later.

Cory picked up his chalk, preparing to begin his lecture.

"The Roaring Twenties." He started, smiling at the class when he had their undivided attention. "An iconic decade of cultural growth, economic prosperity, social debauchery. Boom to bust."

And then Lucas suddenly burst through the door, out of breath and looking extremely apologetic.

"Mr. Friar." Cory said, glancing at him, "Nice of you to finally join us."

"Sorry I'm late, sir! I slept in this morning and missed my train."

It never ceased to surprise Cory just how tall Lucas was now and how deep his voice had gotten. Heck, how deep _every_ boy's voice had gotten. They'd all grown up quite a bit since their days in his sixth grade class, and though he had his reservations regarding the Texan—for previously dating his daughter and for currently dating his _other_ daughter—it was still a little bittersweet seeing a student he had really come to care about grow up. In one more year, all his students would be graduating and moving on to bigger and better things.

But this was no time to reminisce.

"Please. Take your seat."

"Thank you, sir. I'm sorry, sir."

He rushed over to his chair and plopped down in his seat with a sigh. He honestly looked a little exhausted. There were light shadows under his eyes, the beginnings of bags, Cory suspected.

"As I was saying. Boom to bust." Cory continued, "Because for all of the advancements in technology, the arts, politics, it all ended with the terrible Great Depression. A time of..."

He tapered off when his eyes fell on Lucas.

Was Lucas wearing lei?

He was.

He was wearing _lei_ around his neck, like it was just a normal, everyday occurrence, no issue there. And no one else was questioning it. Did anyone else even see it? Cory couldn't just leave it unaddressed.

"Mr. Farkle. Tell me what you see around Mr. Friar's neck."

"Okay, but I fail to see what this has to do with the Great Depression." Farkle turned and looked at Lucas who didn't seem at all bothered by Cory's confusion or questioning. "He's wearing lei, sir."

So Cory wasn't imagining it.

"Mr. Friar. Why the lei?"

Lucas grinned, his eyes dancing in amusement. "Well sir. I got lei'd."

Cory frowned in confusion, not quite sure how to respond. But Lucas didn't elaborate any further and sat there with a somewhat goofy looking grin on his face, hands folded on his desk, waiting for Cory to continue teaching. Cory looked at Riley and Farkle, wondering if maybe they were just as confused by his statement, but they looked unconcerned.

The door of the classroom opened once again and in sauntered Maya nonchalantly, her heels clicking loudly on the tiles. Cory turned to her, his bewilderment temporarily replaced by a fond exasperation at his pseudo daughter's indifference to the importance of punctuality.

"Maya, where have you..."

And then his confusion returned, as did his furrowed, pensive brows.

Maya was also wearing lei.

"Maya? Why are you wearing lei?"

Her lips quirked up in a little smirk as she tossed her gum in the trash can near the door.

"I got lei'd."

Now Cory was _really_ confused. Lucas had said the exact same thing. Was it lei day or something? Had he missed some sort of memo?

"Are all you students getting lei'd today?"

"Oh. No sir. It's not all the students." Farkle pointed out. "It's just Lucas and Maya."

"Who gave you the lei?" Cory asked Maya, setting the chalk down on his desk, lecture totally forgotten. There were bigger, more mysterious matters to attend to.

"Lucas." She said simply, plopping down into her seat and almost immediately putting her elbow on her boyfriend's desk.

"Huh." Cory said, arms crossed as he walked around his desk to lean against the front of it. "And he gave you the lei this morning?"

Maya glanced at Lucas with a slightly amused smile, and he returned the look before she turned back to face Cory.

"Yeah. And last night."

So Maya got lei'd by Lucas?

Cory didn't get it. Why in particular? It didn't make sense to him.

But the more he thought about it, the more he realized Maya also had the beginnings of bags under her eyes. She looked a little tired. And now that he thought about it some more, Maya was wearing the same outfit she had worn yesterday. Well, with the exception of the plaid button down on top of her baby tee. The plaid button down he was sure Lucas had worn to school yesterday...

And Cory's eyes narrowed.

"Maya..." Cory growled, "You say you got _lei'd_ by Lucas?"

She folded her lips inside her mouth to keep from laughing, and Cory felt his blood boil.

He walked down the aisle to the side of Lucas' desk, staring him down with a slightly incredulous and partially furious glare.

Lucas smiled charmingly.

And then he hopped up and clambered over the desks behind him, using the desks to reach the door in the back of the classroom. He raced out of it and took off down the hall.

But not before shouting at the top of his lungs:

"Thanks for the lei, Maya! It's been nice knowing you!"

And Cory saw red.

Cory had watched Lucas run out his classroom before, years ago, and he hadn't done anything about it back then. But not this time.

Not today.

"Class dismissed." Cory growled.

He grabbed a meter stick from the chalkboard and ripped opened his classroom door, taking off after Lucas.

Friar was a dead man.


	39. Oh No They Didn't

**A/N: Alright guys! With this one-shot, that's the end of Update A Day Marathon! Thank you for all the support and the feedback and the fun times! Thanks for all the requests and prompts! It's been a real joy killing myself writing new oneshots each day xD As I promised before, I will still honour all and any requests, but they will fall in between other oneshots I'm writing and updates for L &W will go back to being more sporadic as before! Regardless, I've really enjoyed this! So thank you to all!**

 **Hi Guest (I hope your fist is okay!)! I'm a little particular about what I reveal on the web :) Lol I don't even touch social media for that reason. You're super sweet, but I'm sorry I don't feel comfortable enough revealing my age _publicly_ , however, I am a student legally allowed to work a job if you want something of a "range" ;3  
**

 **Enjoy! Thanks for the reviews to the oneshots! I really appreciate the kindness you all have shown me! It means the world to me :)  
**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own GMW.**

* * *

 **Title: Oh No They Didn't  
Pairings&Characters: Shawn, Riley, Lucaya** **  
Genre: Angst, Humor,** **Romance, AU** **  
Rating: T for** ** **Truce? grrrrrrrrr...  
** Summary: Why are the two knuckleheads in the back suspiciously quiet?  
**

 **Same universe as Here We Go Again. (Order: Missy, Riley, Farkle, Auggie, Shawn, Lucas, Zay) The layout for this one is a little tweaked.  
**

 **Request by Guest, crookedcheshire, and notasbigasajerkasicould'vebeen for Shawn POV of Lucaya fight! Thank you for the request! :3  
**

 **Inspired by Mireille for being suspicious about _everything_ (which is how she discovered my secret smut writing life lol)  
**

* * *

"We were checking out a _dorm_ _room_! Riley was with me, okay?!"

"But you suggested it!"

Shawn looked at the rear view mirror, watching as Lucas and Maya yelled and snapped at each other in the backseat of the car.

"Your friends are having a pretty intense fight. Are they always like this, Riley?"

Riley nodded, though she looked a little shifty and uneasy, "I wouldn't worry about it. You should keep your eyes on the road, Uncle Shawn."

Since Cory and Topanga were both too busy to take Riley and her friends to visit Penn Brook and see how they liked the school and if they wanted to apply, Shawn had offered. They had finished some tour at NYU earlier that morning, and when Shawn picked up Riley, Maya, and Lucas, those two had been growling at each other and clearly in some type of argument. Shawn had also offered to take the Minkus kid too, but after showing up at Riley's and taking one look at Lucas and Maya's angry expressions, he had declined and opted out.

Shawn didn't understand the gist of their argument, since he wasn't paying too much attention, and he didn't understand the cause. But Riley wasn't affected by their fight, although as they progressed, she was starting to look increasingly more and more nervous.

"Josh didn't have a problem with it! So why the fuck do you?!"

"There you go again, bringing him up at every damn point of the conversation! Give it a rest!"

"Well maybe I keep bringing him up because he doesn't act like an ass all the time!"

Shawn sighed and flipped on the radio, hoping it could drown out some of the noise from the back.

No such luck.

This was supposed to be a fun little roadtrip for all of them but it was very quickly becoming Shawn's worst nightmare. He was pretty sure they'd been arguing for about _an hour_ now about something stupid he just didn't understand, and it was starting to grate on his nerves.

"Riley? You okay there?" Shawn asked when Riley turned in the passenger seat and stared at them with a frown on her face for a second, "Are you worried about your friends' fight?"

"Yes…" She turned back around and settled in her seat, anxiously chewing on her lip. "But not about this part."

The last bit had been mumbled a little quietly, and Shawn _almost_ didn't catch the words. He frowned in confusion. What did she mean by 'this part'?

"I've had it with you, Lucas! I mean it!"

"Oh let me guess! You wish I would just shut the fuck up, right?"

"All you do is bitch about Josh all the time! I don't even know why I'm with you!"

There was silence.

The type of silence that sent chills down one's back.

"You honestly feel that way?"

Shawn glanced at the rearview mirror again, concerned by the way Lucas had said those words. Sure enough, he looked heartbroken, like Maya had just crushed his heart into pieces. Don't get Shawn wrong; he wasn't impressed with the charming Texas boy in the least (he was positive there was something about this kid that couldn't be right. All boys were delinquents in some way or another. He had to be too!), but he felt bad for him.

Getting your heart cut into pieces by your girlfriend hurt. And Shawn knew Maya knew by the way she averted her gaze momentarily and then glanced back at Lucas apologetically.

" _Uncle Shawn_!" Riley squirmed in her seat. "Keep your eyes on the road!"

"Relax Riley. It was just a glance."

"It freaks me out when people don't watch the road!" She asserted, her voice rising in pitch _and_ volume. "Keep them on the road, okay?!"

Shawn winced a little at the shrillness of her voice, but brought his gaze back to the front, watching the cars ahead of him on the freeway. There weren't that many. He didn't know why she was so concerned. If he didn't know any better, he would assume Riley was exaggerating her fears, but this was _Riley_ he was talking about. Mini freak outs at the most random of times were a given.

 _Teenagers_.

Were he and Cory _this_ angsty and strange when they were that age? He was really starting to regret deciding to take them to visit the university. He only hoped he could survive the rest of the trip without getting a massive migraine.

They drove for quite a while, the only sound Shawn hearing being the radio and Riley picking at her fingernails, her leg jittering up and down and eyes shifting nervously. Once again, Shawn was left wondering why Riley was so fidgety all of a sudden. It had gotten much worse than it was a couple hours ago. Was she usually this anxious in cars?

And Lucas and Maya hadn't made any noise since the explosive end to their fight a while back. For all the insults and sharp words they'd been spouting earlier, they were just as quiet now. To be honest, he kind of had a bad feeling about the silence. Sure, he didn't like Lucas dating Maya, but he didn't want them to have relationship issues. Maya talked about Lucas a lot, and often with bright, sparkling eyes and wide smiles. Clearly he made her happy. What was going on for them to be so silent?

"You two okay back there?"

He lifted his eyes to glance at the rearview and check quickly to see what was up, but before he could even focus his vision, Riley suddenly grabbed and turned the rearview mirror so it was facing her. Shawn's eyes narrowed.

"Riley, what are you doing?"

"I'm uhhhh... I'm trying to check my makeup!" Riley said, laughing nervously, "There'll be cute college guys at Penn Brook. I need to look my best."

"Riley, I need the rearview mirror to _see._ And Cory won't be pleased with you trying to acquaint yourself with these boys."

"Too bad, Uncle Shawn. I told you I didn't like you taking your eyes off the road!" she huffed, "And I'm seventeen. I'm interested in boys. My dad needs to get over it."

"Do you really want to test him Riley? You know how unreasonably he acts when he feels his position as top male in your life is threatened."

And then there was a soft, almost breathy gasp from the back, and Shawn's brows furrowed. That had sounded oddly like Maya.

"Maya? You okay?"

And then Riley gasped dramatically, turning up the volume of the radio particularly high.

"Oooooh!" she squealed excitedly, "I love this song! Don't you Uncle Shawn?!"

The music was near blasting out his eardrums, and Shawn cringed in pain at the sudden volume, trying to force himself to keep his hands on the steering wheel and not covering his ears. He couldn't even hear himself think!

"Riley, what the hell?!" he shouted, reaching to turn down the music, "It's too loud!"

"So open the windows!" she shouted back, slapping his hand away, "We need a little music in our lives! Let's enjoy it!"

It was either that or let his eardrums die, so Shawn cranked them down. And now the pressure from the freeway was also destroying his eardrums too. But anytime he tried to reach for the volume button, Riley would swat his hand away and threaten to pinch him.

"Riley, what is going on with you today?!"

"I'm just really happy!"

They drove for quite a while, Riley dancing in her seat and flailing her arms and enjoying herself, singing along (particularly loudly) to any songs she knew, and Shawn groaned, deciding that was the last time he did any favours for Cory or Topanga. They owed him one. _Big time_.

But thankfully, they got to Penn Brook in record time (so what he had been almost twenty or thirty over the speed limit! He couldn't take it anymore!). Unfortunately, his ears were ringing, and he was fairly certain he probably would be yelling all his words because his eardrums were busted and he couldn't hear himself, but they had made it.

He parked in a spot in the visitor's parking and turned down the radio, letting out a deep breath when finally— _finally_ —Riley let him lower the volume. She looked chipper and almost _proud_ of herself in a way and Shawn was pretty certain she let out a sigh of relief. What was up with that?

"Alright you three." Shawn said, leaning his head in exhaustion against the steering wheel. "Let's just get this thing out of the way so I can take you guys back home… and move to Europe."

They climbed out of the car, stretching. Shawn locked it and walked around to the passenger side where Lucas, Maya, and Riley were all standing, waiting for him to direct them to where the admin office was so they could pick up their passes.

"Okay." Shawn said with a tired sigh, "Riley, you've already been here once before. But you two haven't so, this is Penn Brook."

He turned his gaze to Lucas and Maya who were holding hands and looking pretty satisfied. Had they made up already?

"Friar, your shirt isn't buttoned right." Shawn pointed out, "And Maya, your shirt is… inside out…"

Shawn took note of their disheveled clothes and hair and the _hickey_ on Maya's neck and his eyes narrowed.

Did they just…? In the back of his car…?

Shawn walked past all three teenagers and opened up the trunk of the rental car. He rummaged around the cluttered back.

"Uncle Shawn?" Riley asked in confusion. "What are you looking for?"

"Shovel."

There was a sharp intake of breath.

And when Shawn looked over his shoulder, Lucas was no longer standing there.


	40. Letting Off Steam

**A/N: Guys, Will Du from Kim Possible was a _fuckboy_! He couldn't do shit though he talked so much of it! I just didn't realize it until recently lolol!**

 **Hi Guest who requests Lucas' friend hitting on Maya (on every chapter LOL)! I got your request! I promise it'll eventually be written sometime in the future.** **;3**

 **Enjoy! Thank you for reading my oneshots! I love you all so much! :)  
**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own GMW.**

* * *

 **Title: Letting Off Steam  
Pairings&Characters: Lucaya** **  
Genre:** **Angst** **,** **Romance, Humor,** **AU** **  
Rating: High T for** ** **Traps  
** Summary: He hasn't forgotten her little prank. And he's going to get her back. Fight fire with fire, right?  
**

 **Sequel to Treading On Thin Ice.  
**

* * *

"I told you to stop."

"Maybe I didn't want to." Maya said, trying not to let the soft breaths of air against her neck affect her.

Lucas lifted his head with a raised eyebrow, meeting her heated gaze. He stared at her in silence, their breathing heavy, faces close and a little flushed from their workout. She could see the lust in his expression and knew exactly what was going through his mind with her trapped underneath him like this.

They both did.

And maybe this would irrevocably change things between them, but she didn't care. Her mind was only on the way he could make her feel if they both just gave in and let this happen. The tension and frustration she could finally be relieved of.

"Are you wearing anything under your shorts?" he asked, his gaze intense.

"Wouldn't you like to know…" she singsonged.

"I could just take them _off_ and find out."

 _~Earlier that evening~_

Maya let out a low growl and continued to beat the living shit out of the punching bag, imagining it was her father's stupid face instead of the worn out brown bag in the campus recreational center.

"Another. Broken. Promise!" she spat, each word punctuated by the pounding of her fists against the swinging bag.

They were supposed to go to dinner that night. But like every other disappointment, the asshole had canceled on her, stating he had an "emergency" that when questioned was not answered. She didn't know why she kept letting herself fall for his stupid promises of a nice dinner between the two of them. Every time, he always managed to disappoint her. And every time? She would come here to beat the snot out of the bags and equipment. Her fists were probably starting to turn red by this point and her knuckles were sore, but she didn't care.

It was a great way to cool herself off and the best thing about the gym in the recreational center late at night was that there was no one there to bug her and she could exert her frustrations in life into the bag without disruption. She came here so often that she was on a first name basis with the late night front desk worker.

"You stupid, stupid assface!" Maya snarled, driving her fist into the bag.

"You sound angry…"

Maya snapped her gaze to the door, nearly jumping out of her skin when she noticed Lucas. He was leaning against the wall, arms crossed, watching her in slight amusement. How long had he been standing there?!

"Leave me alone." She growled, turning back around to face the punching bag, "I'm not in the mood."

He said nothing, still watching her as she decimated the bag. It made her a little prickly and uncomfortable to know that he was just watching her, no doubt checking out her ass in her spandex shorts. She could feel his gaze burning holes in her back. But at least he didn't say anything to ask her _why_ she was about to punch and kick holes into that bag and Maya appreciated that.

He didn't question her need to rip the bag to shreds. He didn't ask any unnecessary questions or try to get her to talk. She liked that about him. When she was in a bad mood, he never tried to coax her to talk about her feelings.

"Your stance is a little off." He finally said after a while, pushing off the wall and walking in her direction. "You're losing power in your strikes."

He _also_ had the impeccable talent of grating her nerves on lock. She couldn't stand that about him. He was the only person who knew how to rile her up.

"If I wanted feedback, I would have asked." She glared daggers at him in annoyance. "But I didn't, Huckleberry. So shut the hell up."

"Thought you might want some advice." He shrugged with a half-smile, stopping near the sparring mat. "I have some experience."

Maya rolled her eyes, stopping the bag's wild motions with a grunt. "Of course you do. Because _Mr. Perfect_ can literally do everything."

She was in a particular bitchy mood today and if he was smart, he would do well to back off and steer clear because she wasn't going to be nice.

Lucas chuckled, stepping onto the mat and stretching his arms. She tried to ignore the flex of the muscles of his toned arms, opting to look at the clock on the wall. It was nearly one. She'd been here for almost two hours. One more hour wouldn't hurt. Besides, she was still pissed. She resumed her workout.

"You want to hit a human target?" he finally asked after she had whacked at the bag a good number of times.

Clearly he was in a mood to get his ass handed to him today if he thought it was a good idea to engage her in a spar when she was blowing steam out of her ears and nose like some enraged bull. She stopped punching and turned away from the bag, breathing a little heavily. She walked towards her towel on the bench, stooping to pick up her water bottle. She chugged it, downing more than half of it at once before wiping her mouth of the liquid that had trailed out.

"You'd willingly let me beat the crap out of you?" She questioned with a raised brow, noting the way Lucas' gaze was glued to her ass when she bent down to stretch her legs out. He was such a damn guy. "I'll kick your ass, Hopalong."

"If you can get a hit in." he said smugly, his eyes glinting mischievously.

Oh he was definitely asking for the ass kicking of his life.

"Bring it." Maya said, peeling off her sweat soaked tank and tossing it haphazardly before coming to stand in front of Lucas on the mat. She tightened her ponytail, smirking to herself when Lucas' gaze darkened, his eyes on her chest clad only in a sport's bra. She crossed her arms under her chest, cocking a brow.

"You look a bit distracted, Sundance."

"Should have known you wouldn't be one to fight fair."

"Aww." she cooed derisively, "Does it bother you?"

Lucas brought his eyes back up to meet hers, and her breath hitched at the dangerous challenge he held in them. Then he smirked and pulled his sleeveless t-shirt right off, and Maya found herself staring at him slightly dazed. Her gaze traveled down his chest to his toned abs. She knew she was staring, and she knew he knew from the way his smug grin grew, but she couldn't take her eyes off of him. How was it that he had the most gorgeous fucking body she had ever seen when he was the most annoying person to ever exist?

"Fight fire with fire, right?" Lucas said lowly, rolling his neck before setting in a guard. "Knock yourself out, Shortstack."

She just wanted to drape herself over him like a damn vine. She vaguely wondered how good it would feel to have him just shove her up against a wall and screw her.

But she shook the thought off and attacked him, throwing a couple fast jabs and crosses and an uppercut. She switched up the speeds of her attacks, adding a couple kicks here and there and spins with strikes to throw him off. Lucas avoided her deftly, blocking her lightly, his eyes trained on her motions. They continued that way for quite a while, Maya barely working up a sweat at the lack of a challenge.

While having a blocker did make her work a little more to get hits in, this whole thing was only frustrating her more. She didn't want to strike at some blocking wall. She wanted a fight. She paused mid assault, stepping back with a frown.

"This is no fun, Huckleberry. Fight back."

"I'd hurt you."

Oh, he really thought so, huh?

Her eyes narrowed dangerously.

And Maya launched herself at him, relentlessly attacking him, not giving him a chance to rest as she fired punches and kicks at him, varying her heights and speeds of attack. She forced him to take steps back, ducking and weaving around to avoid getting hit. Maya faked a kick to his chest and as he set to block, she spun swiftly on her heel, pivoting around and sending a roundhouse kick flying towards his head. He caught onto her plan a little too late. Lucas leaned far back, barely avoiding it, but she knew she almost clipped him across the face with that one because when he straightened, there was a look of surprise in his eyes.

"Fight back." Maya growled, "Or I'll really try to kick your ass."

"You're pretty good." He said, clearly shocked that she actually knew a thing or two about sparring.

"Surprised Huckleberry?"

But he also looked a little turned on, and Maya loved that she had that effect on him.

"Yeah, little bit. Kind of unexpected. You've trained before?"

"What do you think?" She gave him the stink eye. "We live in _New York_. Momma didn't raise no fool."

Lucas laughed, getting back into his stance. "Alright. I'll fight back."

Maya smirked and she went at him, throwing random punches to test the waters of his guard. Lucas blocked her, being careful not to let any hits in before he struck back, looking for openings and forcing her to save her energy in the offense for defense.

They continued their light sparring, parrying off each other and feeding off of each other's cues like some twisted dance where one misstep would end up with one of them sprawled on the ground or with a bloody nose. He was only taking it semi-seriously, not exactly attacking full blown, but then again, neither was Maya. They played off their strikes and kicks, pushing each other to block more properly and attack more quickly when one of them would almost get a hit in.

Lucas pressed her, using his height and strength at an advantage to force her to block higher out of her natural stance and forcing more openings. Maya knew she was somewhat at a disadvantage with Lucas being so much taller and broader than her, but she was quicker and anytime she thought he was slacking off, she would come at him harder, bringing in another random move and surprising him.

She could see it in his eyes, the slightly impressed look he would get when she could easily keep up with whatever he threw at her.

But she didn't want to spar just to spar.

She wanted to _kick his ass_. He had challenged her. And now she would deliver.

So she waited, biding her time on defense until she saw him back off the slightest bit.

And Maya, without missing a beat, stepped right into his personal space, gazing up at him without a word, their bodies pressed flush against each. Lucas stared down at her, caught off guard by the unexpected docile action, their faces centimeters apart and close enough that she could see the flecks of bronze in his irises. His hands dropped slowly from their guard, his pupils dilating the slightest bit as she glanced down at his lips.

She had him.

With a wink, she curled a leg behind his knee, rising to her toes and bringing her forearm against his neck before using her weight to knock him off balance and take him down. And she knew Lucas would go down. She'd had enough training against larger people that she knew what to expect.

What she hadn't expected though, was a surprised Lucas dropping his hands to her waist as he went down, taking her with him.

His back hit the mat and he let out a grunt of slight pain, and Maya ended up sprawled on top of him, cradled to his body, her face in his shoulder. They both remained still for a moment, breaths heaving as they tried to come to terms with what had happened.

"You okay?" Lucas muttered, his lips right beside her ear.

And Maya felt electricity shoot down her back, her disregarded arousal igniting almost immediately from his voice so low and intimate right in her ear. She became hyperaware of their position—his hands resting on her lower back right above her ass, their chests pressed up against each other, the full body contact. The light tufts of his breath brushing her shoulder was enough for goosebumps to spring on her skin.

She didn't know if it was her adrenaline coursing through her veins or the fact that she was pretty heavily turned on, but her body was on _fire_.

And Maya slowly sat up, eyes on his as she straddled him, backing up until she was sitting atop his groin. She almost immediately felt him stiffen, his eyes narrowing as he stilled her motions by taking hold of her hips. He was as turned on as she was; she could definitely feel it. And she really liked having that hold on him. She shifted more weight off of her legs, putting more pressure on his arousal.

"Maya _stop._ " Lucas growled, his eyes glinting with an unspoken threat that excited her.

She didn't want to.

So Maya splayed her hands on his chest and rolled her hips forward slowly once. Heat flared in Lucas' eyes and with a low growl, he rose up and flipped them over, trapping Maya under him, hips between her legs, his arms planked on either side of her. Maya's eyes widened at the flames lighting up the light green of his eyes, and she felt that familiar tingling shooting between her legs.

She let out a shuddering breath, her eyes on his as he leaned down, his mouth pressed against her ear.

"I told you to stop."

"Maybe I didn't want to." Maya said, trying not to let the soft breaths of air against her neck affect her.

Lucas lifted his head with a raised eyebrow, meeting her heated gaze. He stared at her in silence, their breathing heavy, faces close and a little flushed from their workout. She could see the lust in his expression and knew exactly what was going through his mind with her trapped underneath him like this.

They both did.

And maybe this would irrevocably change things between them, but she didn't care. Her mind was only on the way he could make her feel if they both just gave in and let this happen. The tension and frustration she could finally be relieved of.

"Are you wearing anything under your shorts?" he asked, his gaze intense.

"Wouldn't you like to know…" she singsonged.

"I could just take them _off_ and find out."

He could. And she wouldn't fight him, she knew.

Not when she could feel his arousal pulsing against her. She _wanted_ them off. She wanted them off along with her panties.

And she wanted him to give it to her good and hard on the mat.

"Maybe you should." She said simply, catching the way a dangerous smirk grew slowly on his lips.

"Maybe I will."

Her breath hitched as he moved unhurried backwards off of her, blowing out a breath of air against her navel. Maya shivered involuntarily when his hands slid to her hips, fingers slipping under the waistband of her workout shorts. He took hold of the material, raising her hips a bit, his eyes on Maya's as he slowly tugged them down before taking them off her legs.

Lucas grinned, a bit roguishly, before crawling back on top of her. Maya let out a sigh, loosely holding onto his shoulders when his fingers lightly trailed up her leg and over the strap of her panties before settling on her waist, caressing her overheated skin. He hovered over her, very little space between their lips as he spoke, deliberately slow, his eyes narrowed treacherously.

"Good thing you're wearing underwear."

Maya let out a breathless moan when he pressed himself against her, igniting a ripple of pleasure in between her legs when she felt his arousal, hard and hot and _right there_.

"Consider this compensation for waking everyone up…" he murmured against her mouth, his lips just barely grazing hers.

And then he got off of her abruptly, snatching up her shorts as he rose to his feet. It took Maya a few seconds to register the fact that his body was no longer pinning hers to the mat and _what_ he had just said. But when she did, her eyes widened in shock and she snapped her gaze to his angrily. Lucas stared down at her impassively, arms crossed over his chest with a smirk.

"I'd say I've won this round." He said before walking off the mat and grabbing his own shirt off the floor as well as hers.

Maya rose up on her elbows, her body trembling slightly as she watched him put his shirt back on. She couldn't believe it. Once again, he'd managed to turn her on and leave her hanging without remorse.

"I can't believe you…" she growled menacingly, her body aching for release.

"Oh I'm sorry. Did I leave you hanging?" Lucas turned around with a cocky glint in his eyes. "You started a dangerous game, Maya. You sure you can keep up?"

"Keep up?" Maya said with a snarl. That was the last time she would fall for anything he did. The last time she would let her guard down ever again. He just took this to a whole new level. "I'm going to _destroy_ you."

"If that's what makes you happy, then, I certainly can't wait for it, _ma'am_."

He tipped his fake cowboy hat and walked out of the gym laughing, her shorts and tank top tucked under his arm.


	41. He'll Wait

**A/N: No Lucaya, no Miggie, no Lolden, no Jogan, no Kavery, no more Phineas and Ferb. WTF is up with Disney?! I should not be experiencing this much pain watching _any_ Disney shows!**

 **FINALS ARE OFFICIALLY OVER! SUMMER VACATION OFFICIALLY STARTS! YAAAAAAAAAY! (I know I should probably be sleeping after those multiple allnighters but who cares! MY VACATION HAS STARTED XDDDD SLEEP DEPRIVATION FOR THE WIN! LOL I have _BAGS_ under my eyes!) So I wrote some word vomit for fun!  
**

 **Enjoy! Thank you for the reviews! I really appreciate them loves! You guys are too sweet to me! xD  
**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own GMW.**

* * *

 **Title: He'll Wait  
Pairings&Characters: Lucas, Maya** **, Lucaya (unrequited)  
Genre: ****Angst** **, Friendship** **, WAFF/Fluff, Hurt/Comfort,** **AU** **  
Rating: K+ for** ** **Kipping Down  
** Summary: It's hard being in love with someone who doesn't see you the same way.  
**

 **Present tense practice.**

* * *

Lucas parks in front of Maya's complex, sighing and running his hand through his hair. It's just about one in the morning and he knows she probably turned in early since she's still trying to battle that small cold she had gotten so she won't miss any school. And her mother no doubt is fast asleep as well. Asking to come in through the front door this late at night isn't a good idea.

He hops out of his truck and jogs over to the side of the building where he knows Maya's window is. As always, it's opened a tiny crack since the poor construction of that entire wall prevents it from being able to be completely closed. Lucas lifts the window so he can fit and then climbs in slowly, trying to contort himself to fit through the small space. He remembers a time back in middle school when it wasn't too difficult to enter, but four years of growth have made the entryway a pretty tight squeeze. He sincerely hopes no night strollers walk by and see him. The situation can easily be seen the wrong way, and he doesn't particularly want to get accidentally arrested for breaking and entering. Or labeled as a pervert.

When he finally gets in, he lowers the window back to its crack before turning to face Maya's bed in the darkened room. He can only see through the limited light peeking in through her curtains, but her lumpy form is bunched under the covers rising up and down in time with her slight snores. He can just make out the wild tendrils of blonde hair splayed all over her pillow.

Lucas creeps cautiously towards her bed, being careful not to make the floorboards creak. He slips off his shoes and jacket and leaves them both beside her bed before lifting up her comforter and sliding in behind Maya. Her breathing falters the slightest bit before she lets out a little groan and cough before peeking over her shoulder at him.

"Lucas…?" she grumbles, her voice hoarse and sounding sleep deprived.

"Yeah. Sorry." he apologizes, "I didn't mean to wake you up."

"It's okay. I couldn't sleep anyway."

Maya rolls over so she's facing him and shifts closer to him, curling up into him as always. Lucas smiles and wraps his arms around her, rubbing soft circles on her back. Maya entangles her legs with his and snuggles into his chest.

"You're warm… Like a big, fluffy teddy bear…" she mumbles sleepily, "Huckleberry the Teddy Bear…"

Lucas chuckles, tucking her tighter into him and gazing at the mussed head of blonde hair in front of him. Maya's always cute, but it's times like this when she's barely conscious and lets her guard down just for him and babbles incoherent nonsense that always manage to make his heart beat faster. That always manage to make him fall even deeper for his friend than he already has.

"How was the date tonight?" she asks, sniffling a bit.

"Uh… It was okay." Lucas says, gently weaving his fingers in her hair, "Thanks for setting me up. But it didn't work out."

It hadn't been that he _didn't_ like the girl. The girl had been nice. Some friend of Maya's in her art class who was pretty chill. She had been friendly and funny and conversation hadn't been too difficult. They'd had a good time at the movies, but at the end of the night, Lucas hadn't made any attempts to try to continue things.

"Again?" Maya murmurs softly, letting a blissful sigh, "What went wrong?"

He knows exactly what went wrong. It's the same reason why all and any dates with any girls he goes out with never work out.

None of them are Maya.

"She was nice and all, but we didn't click." Lucas lies, "Guess she wasn't the one for me after all."

Maya reaches up, glancing up at him with hazy, sleepy blue eyes and cups his cheek, caressing it lightly with her thumb before sliding her hand back to his chest.

"Give it time, Ranger Rick." Maya consoles him. "One day you'll find your perfect girl."

He holds her gaze, fighting the urge to tell her the truth. He'd already found his perfect girl a while ago. In the form of a pint sized, spitfire blonde who rarely lets people in the walls she's built around herself.

"You should go to sleep, Maya." Lucas says, holding her closer to him.

"Mmhmm…" she mutters, her eyes already drooping shut. "G'night..."

Her breathing deepens a short while after and Lucas finds himself staring at Maya as she sleeps. Her brows relaxed and expression peaceful. Her mouth slightly open and long eyelashes resting on her cheeks. And he feels a little pain in his chest.

It's hard being in love with someone who doesn't see him the same way.

He wishes she could see him the way he sees her, but she's interested in someone else, and Lucas knows his affections are largely unknown and entirely unrequited. He knows he _could_ tell her the truth, confess to her, let her know how he really feels and why all and any dates Maya sets up always crash and burn, but he's scared. He doesn't want to make her uncomfortable. He doesn't want to lose what they have.

He relishes these quiet, little moments they share, hoping that maybe one day, she'll see him as a possibility for more than just a friend. And maybe he's selfish, eating up her affection under the guise of just friendship, but it's either that or lose what they have built through all these years. And between suffering from his love or losing Maya, he'd rather endure his heartache. She means too much to him to lose.

Maybe one day he'll get the chance to kiss those perfect lips and be the one to make her eyes sparkle in happiness. Maybe one day he'll be the one who she thinks of last before she goes to bed, who she dreams about, and who she thinks of first when she wakes up. Maybe one day she'll return his affection.

But until then:

He'll let it go and bear it out.

He'll wait.


	42. Folly

**A/N: Lol I slacked off one day and now I'm behind like twenty days... If you PMed, don't worry, I will respond to you as soon as I update about 5 or 6 stories :)  
**

 **You guys should write down your dreams everyday. You'd be so surprised the pattern with which they seem to follow at times!**

 **Enjoy! Thank you for the reviews and the feedback and comments! I appreciate them loves! :)  
**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own GMW.**

* * *

 **Title: Folly  
Pairings&Characters: Lucas, Maya** **  
Genre:** **Friendship** **, Humor (Absurd), Fantasy, Fluff, Romance,** **AU** **  
Rating: K+ for** ** **Kinda Crazy  
** Summary: Maya falls asleep in class.  
**

 **Based in part on a bizarre, incoherent dream I had once -_-;; Truly, truly insane and weird... I don't even know why I wrote this lol...  
**

 **Request by wawawawa12 for Maya as Cinderella. I tweaked the prompt quite a bit from how you requested it love, but I hope it's still okay nonetheless! Thank you for your request! :3  
**

* * *

"Dreams are the brain's way of organizing thoughts and information collected during the day." Mr. Brinkley droned on, tapping the diagram of the brain drawn on the board.

Maya felt her eyes slowly drooping. She hated high school psychology. This was one of the most fascinating topics they'd learned this year, yet she couldn't care less. It was a total snoozefest and bore because their teacher had a habit of making lectures long and tedious with his neverending talking and diagrams. A single lecture, if she decided to take notes, took up five full pages of her notebook front and back.

"Our dreams are our subconscious telling us how to process what occurred. In a way, they are also telling us what each event in our lives means and what we wish to happen in some way." He said in a monotonous tone, "If you take the time to analyze your dreams, you may be surprised… what… find…"

Maya blinked blearily, trying to wake herself up as the words of her teacher slowly started to lose meaning and grow choppy. She could hear Lucas' pencil behind her scratching furiously on his paper, taking notes as fast as he could, and she felt herself being lulled to sleep by the steady rhythm of his writing and the droning of Brinkley at the front.

She closed her eyes, her head slowly tipping forward.

Then Maya snapped awake with a soft gasp, trying to snap out of it. She had a test on Friday. She had to pay attention.

And that's when she realized she was no longer sitting at her desk in her psychology class watching her teacher explain the meaning behind dreams.

She was lying on a cot, her arms on her chest clutching a bouquet of roses. There were brambles and thorns and vines all over the room, and she couldn't see or find any way out of the tangled mess of roots. Confused out of her mind, Maya tried to move, or sit up or anything, but she wouldn't budge. She was frozen stiff and not a single one of her limbs could move.

 _What the hell?_

She closed her eyes again, thinking she was definitely sleeping and when she opened her eyes she would be awake once again, sitting in class waiting for the lecture to finish.

And then she opened her eyes, yet she was still in the same place. And she still couldn't move.

But the roses were gone as were the vines and only a cold stone dungeon-like room remained.

Oh, and she was in a damn glass coffin.

Alarmed by the realization that she was trapped, Maya opened her mouth to shout or scream or ask if someone was there to help and her chest was suddenly gripped by a sharp, inexplicable pain that left her gasping for breath. She breathed in a deep, heaving breath, coughing violently and squeezing her eyes shut when she could feel bile rising in her throat.

She pounded on her chest and the bile flew out of her mouth.

Except it wasn't bile.

It was a small chunk of apple that landed innocuously on the floor and Maya stared at it wide eyed and entirely confused, her breathing a little heavy as she tried to suck in air. She sat up slowly when the coffin lid suddenly disappeared, realizing she could move again.

"What the hell was that…" she said hoarsely.

She rubbed at her sore throat, trying to loosen it up after the harsh onslaught of pain it had just been dealt. The strange piece of apple lodged in her throat aside, she had to figure out what the heck was going on. Maya made to stand up to get out of the bed and toppled right onto the ground, face planting and scraping her forearm across the rocks.

"Ow..." Maya moaned, turning her arm over and looking at her bleeding forearm. How the heck would she clean this wound up?

Almost as soon as the thought passed her mind, her skin tingled and with a little flash of light, the wound disappeared. Maya froze, staring at her arm wide eyed and absolutely freaked by it.

"Okay… this is officially creepy." she muttered.

She made to get up off of the floor and walk towards the door that suddenly seemed to appear out of nowhere and then realized her legs were stiff, and she couldn't move them very well. Maya rolled over onto her back and stared at her legs.

She had a mermaid tail.

A bright yellow mermaid tail.

And a turquoise seashell bra.

"You've got to be kidding me." She threw her hands up in frustration, lifting up the tail with difficulty. "Hello?! Anyone here?!"

There was no response.

With a growl, Maya dragged her body across the now smooth tiled ground with her arms as best as she could towards the door. If that was the way out of wherever the hell she was, she was definitely getting out of there. She half crawled and half slithered across the floor with some difficulty, wondering how she was going to get the door open since she couldn't rise up very high.

Then the door disappeared.

Maya stared at the hole for a moment, a small frown on her face.

"Okay…" So apparently she could make wishes? "I wish I didn't have this tail."

But when she glanced at her legs, the tail was still there. Only now it was green.

Maya rolled her eyes in annoyance and pulled herself through the doorway, grumbling expletives under her breath. When she got inside the room, she was in a little cottage room with one table and a handful of chairs. There was one window flanked by wooden shutters that was open and letting in daylight. She could see the sun and the clouds as if they were right beside her face and frowned, wondering just how high she was in the air. The only other thing in the room was a massive round mirror. Maya turned to look over her shoulder, but the doorway she just came from was gone, instead replaced by the cream coloured wall of the cottage room.

She crawled towards the mirror, wondering what she looked like because if this was what her body looked like, who's to say her face wasn't completely different?

"How the hell do I move around in this crap…" she grumbled with each blasted minute it took her to move an inch, "I hate this damn mermaid tail."

She pried herself over to the mirror and her breath hitched when she took a look at herself.

She was a giant ass green _frog_ with blonde hair and blue eyes.

"What the hell is this?!" She shouted, hopping up and down frantically, "Where's my body?!"

She took it back. The mermaid limbs were a pain in the ass but this was much, much worse! She was a frog! This was not funny. She wanted to wake up from whatever nightmare this was and go back to class. Psychology class, no matter how absolutely boring, was better than whatever the hell she was stuck in right now.

And then she heard it:

"Clutterbucket, oh Clutterbucket, let down your hair!"

It came from outside the window of the cottage. And she recognized the voice.

It was Lucas.

The relief she felt at having someone she knew around was almost all encompassing. With a sigh of relief, she hopped over to the window, climbing up on the sill before looking around to find Lucas.

And she came to realize two things:

One, that she _was_ in a huge tower and there was no way she could get down without breaking her neck. And probably every other bone in her froggy body.

And two, that Lucas was sitting atop a white horse at the base of the tower wearing some ridiculous puffy sleeved blue tunic and tights and riding boots and this feathery hat on his head. He looked like a prince.

Maya stared at him incredulously for a second.

"What are you wearing, Heehaw?" she shouted down.

Lucas looked up at her, a playful grin on his face. "I come bearing gifts for you, oh beautiful Clutterbucket!"

Her eye twitched in annoyance. Why was he talking like that?

"Shut the hell up Sundance! I'm a damn frog stuck in tower! I don't know what to do so help me figure it out."

"Oh fair maiden, you look like no frog to me, but the most beautiful of creatures I have ever seen."

"Urgh I'm gonna hurl…" Maya said, shuddering in disgust.

"Oh Clutterbucket. Sweet, sweet clutterbucket. Run away with me, my love." He snorted, obviously finding the whole thing one big amusing mess.

She growled under her breath. She was trying to figure out a solution to this problem and how to get out of this mess, and he kept playing around. What the hell was wrong with him? And why did he keep talking like that?

"I mean it Huckleberry. Shut up!"

"But Clutterbucket, my darling, beautiful Clutterbucket, how can I possibly keep quiet when I love you so?"

She wanted to _throttle_ him.

And then an apple with a bite taken out of it suddenly appeared on her palm and Maya nearly hopped out of her skin in surprise. She looked down at herself. Her body was back! Although she was wearing some ratty dress with an apron.

"Clutterbucket, how can I possibly not proclaim your beauty to the seven kingdoms and beyond?"

"That's it." Maya snapped. "Shut the hell up!"

She reared her arm back and threw the apple as hard as she could at Lucas. It sailed down through the air, careening towards him and almost colliding with his head, but he leaned out of the way and it crashed into the ground, creating a crater in the grass and leaving smoke in its wake. Maya stared down at it in shock. She was pretty sure she had thrown an apple. Why did it look like she'd thrown a nuke?

Lucas started laughing hard, clutching his stomach. "Alright, alright! I'm sorry! I'll stop."

"Good. Now get me out of here!"

"Throw down your hair, Maya."

"What good will that do when my hair isn't—"

And then she realized how long her hair was. It was draped over her shoulder and on certain parts of the window and she turned around, following the extensive trail of neverending hair hanging from the ceiling and in different parts of the cottage room. She couldn't find the end of it.

 _Holy…_

"What the hell did you do?!" Maya lifted up a few strands of hair in disbelief. "Are you changing my dream?"

"Let down your hair." Lucas repeated, holding up a comically large pair of scissors. He was standing on his horse with a smirk, opening and snapping them shut. "I can cut it."

Maya narrowed her eyes. "If you cut it down there, how the hell am I supposed to get out then?"

"Oh right. I should probably come up first."

"How exactly are you planning to do that? There's no ladder and it would take forever for me to even try to tug you up with the hair."

"Like this."

And Maya spun around in surprise because Lucas was standing in the cottage behind her, a half smirk on his face and eyes dancing playfully in the light. She looked out the window at the ground again, but all that was there was a large moat with crocodiles floating about on their backs. Night had fallen and the moon was high in the sky. When they saw her, they waved. She slowly waved back, her mind one hundred percent blown.

She stepped off the sill slowly, a little bit spooked, and turned to face Lucas who was now sitting on the ground petting a little white rabbit with a clock around its neck.

"How the hell did you get up here?"

He shrugged, letting go of the rabbit and it bounced away under a chunk of her long hair on the ground before disappearing altogether. She ignored it. That hadn't even been the strangest thing she'd seen in the time she'd been in this insane place.

"I have no idea." Lucas sighed, standing up and patting dust off of his white tights. "But apparently we're late."

"Late for what?"

"A very important date." He said matter of factly. "The rabbit told me."

Maya's eyes narrowed and she stomped over to him, glowering at him and jabbing him in the chest.

"Look here Hopalong. I don't have time for your games. I need to figure a way out of this mess!"

"A way out?" Lucas snorted, snatching her hand in his and preventing her from poking him. "There is no way out. Those crocs will eat you alive."

"They just waved at me all friendly."

"False sense of security. The minute you step down into their moat, you're a goner." He reached over and tucked her hair behind her ear, and Maya realized it was back to its normal length now. "But if we don't hurry up, the moon will leave the lake, and you'll turn back into a swan."

Maya stared up at him like he had gone absolutely nuts. So clearly, the Lucas in this senseless dream she was having (if it even _was_ a dream) was just as senseless as this crazy world she was stuck in.

"You know what… Whatever." She sighed, swatting his hand away when he prodded her cheek when she wouldn't respond, "So how do we get out?"

"I already told you we can't."

"Then what the hell are we supposed to do that we need to hurry up for!" Maya said in exasperation, storming away from him and checking the walls to see if there were any hidden doors that she'd missed. She couldn't take another second of this. She just wanted to be back in that terrible classroom. She would rather be there than in here. Anything beat this. "You're driving me nuts!"

"I don't know." He said quietly, rubbing the back of his neck, "I was told to come here to find my complement otherwise things would go haywire."

Maya rose a brow. "Seriously? Things are _already_ haywire."

"But they could be much worse. We could be apart. " Lucas walked over to her and took her hands in his, smiling down at her gently. "But when we're together, things are right. I feel it."

Maya blushed in surprise, growing anxious, and butterflies danced in her stomach.

"Lucas, what are you doing?"

"Maya, I found you at last. You're my complement. And the shoes fit."

 _Shoes? What shoes?_

Maya glanced down at her feet and noticed she was wearing pure glass slippers, shining brilliantly.

"Oh no…" She tried to jerk her hands out of his, but Lucas didn't let go, his gaze going serious. Maya's pulse started racing. "Lucas, stop."

"Maya, I want to stay with you."

Her heart skipped a beat. "You're a prince. Don't you have a kingdom to run?"

"I'd rather be here with you than be a prince." Lucas' sea-foam eyes were shining with something intense that made Maya want to turn and run.

"That's irresponsible. And don't say that. You don't want to be with me. You're supposed to be with someone else. You're supposed to be someone else's prince."

"But I'm not a prince. And I want to be with you, Maya Penelope Clutterbucket Hart." He asserted, stepping closer to her.

"Yes, you are a prince. You're _Riley's_ prince!" Maya argued. "And I don't believe you. You don't want to be with me."

"I'm not a prince…" He whispered, wrapping one arm around Maya's waist and holding her body close. "Let me show you I'm sincere."

And Maya was suddenly in a giant puffy blue ball gown, and she and Lucas were dancing in the middle of a ballroom floor. People were standing all along the sides everywhere in the ballroom, watching them as he whisked her around in a waltz.

"What in the hell did you just do to my dream?" Maya said, slightly panicking when she recognized some of her friends in the crowd of spectators. If Farkle and Zay were there, then she had no doubt that Riley would be somewhere nearby too. But where? "Lucas, you have to let go of me."

Lucas stopped moving and took her chin with his other hand, pulling her even closer. _"I'm not a prince…"_

Maya glanced at the crowd of spectators a little frantically. And then she saw Riley off to the side. She wasn't facing them directly but it was only a matter of time before Riley turned and saw the two of them much too close.

"Lucas stop." Maya said feebly, though she felt a bit of an ache in her chest when she thought of him listening to her. "Riley's going to get hurt."

 _"Maya, I'm not a prince…"_ he repeated again, lifting her chin up.

Maya stared up at him, enraptured by his mesmerizing green eyes and unable to tear hers away. His gaze softened, and he smiled slightly before leaning down, slowly bringing his lips closer to hers. She couldn't pull away. She didn't want to pull away. Maya's eyes fluttered close when she felt his breath on her lips.

 _"I'm Huckleberry… I'm your H_ —"

"—uckleberry!" Maya shot up in her seat, her eyes wide and breathing a little harsh.

There was silence, save for a bit of snickering here and there.

And she slowly came back to reality and noticed her surroundings. She was in her psych classroom. Everyone was staring at her after her outburst. And she could feel Lucas' gaze burning holes in her back.

She turned around slowly to face him, and he had this smug smirk on his face and an eyebrow raised in amusement. She wanted to crawl in a hole. She had literally just shouted out his name.

"Dreaming about me, Shortstack?" he teased.

Maya felt her face flush, and she faced the front again, trying to ignore the way she could still remember almost vividly how good it had felt being held in his arms and how they had almost kissed. What did it even mean? She didn't even like Lucas like that. Why had she dreamed of him?

"Miss Hart." Mr. Brinkley said, standing in front of her desk with a cross look on his features.

She swallowed thickly and glanced up at her teacher with a sheepish smile.

"Yes?"

"Detention."


	43. It's Kinetic

**A/N: Writing these oneshots is like a breath of fresh air from the heaviness of the multichaptered fics lol ^_^ (I'm still behind on everything, so I promise I am NOT ignoring anyone! I will respond asap! I still have 3 more big stories to update and then I'll get right on answering everything!)  
**

 **Enjoy! Thank you for reading the oneshots! I love you guys! You make my day with every one of your comments and reactions! :3  
**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own GMW.**

* * *

 **Title: It's Kinetic  
Pairings&Characters: Lucas, Maya** **, Lucaya  
Genre: Romance, ****Friendship** **, WAFF/Fluff,** **AU** **  
Rating: K+ for** ** **Kinetic Friction  
** Summary: He couldn't ask for a more perfect moment.  
**

 **Wrote one for Briley. _Needed_ to write one for Lucaya.  
**

* * *

Lucas checked his phone for the thousandth time in the past forty five minutes. He sighed when he still didn't get any notification that Maya was coming downstairs. He texted her again, questioning whether she was planning to come downstairs anytime _today_.

Lucas wondered why he was even wasting time sitting on the steps in front of Maya's dorm on a sticky, gray Saturday afternoon waiting for her to finally bring her painting down. He had been trying—unsuccessfully—to write a midterm Geography essay due Monday. It was a big portion of his grade, but his mind hadn't been able to focus. His thoughts had been plagued by his best friend.

Her brilliant smile and gorgeous eyes. Her vibrant laughter and waves of tousled blonde hair. The luscious curve of her hips and undeniably attractive legs.

He had damn near been about to give up completely on writing the essay and was going to try take an afternoon nap to clear his head, but she had texted him asking if he could help her transport her entry for the school art competition in his truck. He'd been about to decline since after all, being in the presence of the current person who had a strong grip on all his thoughts could only make his affliction worse, but when she'd sent him a picture of her with a puppy dog pout, he hadn't been able to.

Which brought him outside her dorm building, alternating between looking at his phone and main doors. The sky grumbled ominously, and Lucas knew if she didn't hurry this up, transporting her painting would become a hell of a lot harder. He hadn't brought the tarp for the back of his truck so her painting would definitely get drenched and possibly ruined.

The door opened, and Maya walked out in a flurry, her hair and skirt flowing around her as she spun around to face Lucas with a smile, the alluring scent of vanilla following her as she moved. His heart skipped a beat as he stared up at her, and he _swore_ time slowed down as she ran a hand through her hair to get it out of her face. Her lips moved as she spoke, but Lucas didn't hear it, enraptured by her and unable to tear his gaze away.

And then Maya frowned and leaned down, snapping her fingers in front of his face.

" _Huckleberry_. Did you hear me?"

Lucas blinked a couple times, shaking himself out of the little trance he'd put himself in.

"What?"

Maya straightened, gesturing inside the door of the dorm with her thumb. "I managed to get it in the elevator to the ground floor with someone, but it's really heavy. Can you help me?"

"Yeah. Sure."

He stood up and followed her inside where the piece was resting against the wall of the lobby. He could tell why she needed help. It was almost her height and almost twice as wide as it was high. He took one end while Maya took the other and together, they lifted it before carefully making their way out, down the stairs, and down the sidewalk to where Lucas had parked his truck.

"Careful." Maya warned as they slowly put it in the back.

Once it had been properly placed and they made sure it was secure, they climbed into his truck and drove off towards the art building on campus. The whole drive, Lucas had to force himself to keep his eyes on the road and not on Maya. (And Maya's smooth, shapely legs, but who had to know). But it was proving much more difficult than he could have expected, especially with her scent drifting in his nose every few seconds.

"You think you could go faster, Ranger Rick? Gammy could drive to Pennsylvania and back, and she'd still get there before us." Maya said, her tone dripping with honey and sugary sweet, despite the caustic sass of her mockery. "Plus it's about to rain, and I really don't want this painting soiled."

Sure enough, there were small droplets of rain occasionally pelting his windshield, and Lucas could see that the sky had darkened considerably, gray clouds building and casting shadows over the city.

"Your fault you took so long." He responded, unaffected by her usual snark, "And I'm almost at fifty."

But he upped his speed regardless, and he could see Maya's triumphant smile out of his peripheral.

When they got to the art building, Maya directed him to park on the street, because parking in the lot on the weekend when classes were not in session would get him towed. He obliged, and they hopped out rapidly since the droplets of rain had started to increase in frequency.

He helped her tug out the painting, and they made their way to the building as quickly as they could while lugging a pretty heavy piece of art. They had a few setbacks, mainly Maya having to set down her side momentarily to clutch her stomach as she laughed when Lucas almost tripped on the curb she had forgotten to warn him about. And then to get back at her, Lucas made sure to hold his side of the painting at his eye level, forcing Maya to keep her arms raised up in order to keep her grip.

But they had gotten to the building in one piece and after Maya swiped her student ID, they'd been able to get to the exhibition hall—thankfully on the first floor—and set Maya's presentation up for the competition.

"All set?" Lucas asked, standing back to observe at the piece.

It was a little bit morbid; an array of decrepit cherry blossom trees with wilting petals and aged branches. Cherry blossoms were usually seen as an image of growth and prosper, but her dark, melancholic background made the image of the bright pink flowers look quite the opposite. Especially with the motionless bird lying on the ground, partially covered by one of the blossoms. It was bold and arrestive and definitely an interesting direction no artist would take with cherry blossoms. A grand prize worthy piece for sure.

It never ceased to amaze Lucas how brilliant an artist Maya was.

"I have to touch up a couple places in the background." Maya said apologetically as she rummaged through her satchel for the paint and brush she'd brought. "Do you mind? I need a bit of time."

"It's fine." Lucas said, "I can wait."

He leaned against the door frame, watching Maya as she carefully worked on her piece, her brows furrowed in concentration as she added touches of gray to the background. He smiled slightly, loving Maya's dedication to her art and the way when she painted, she always seemed to form her own world, blocking out everything and anything. He loved the way her eyes would get that far off look and shine when she got a particularly good idea. He also loved the way she seemed to unconsciously poke her tongue out of the side of her mouth when she was on a roll.

Really, he loved everything about her...

Maya took a step back from her painting. She placed her hands on her hips with a triumphant and satisfied look on her face.

"There. Perfect." She glanced at Lucas. "What do you think, Heehaw?"

Lucas smiled, holding her gaze with his own.

"Beautiful."

He wasn't talking about the painting.

Maya stared back at him, a brow slightly raised though she didn't say anything. They remained like that for a while, silently contemplating each other, an unmistakeable slight blush on Maya's cheeks. Then she broke eye contact and cleared her throat, setting her supplies in her bag.

"We should probably leave before the storm starts." she said quietly.

"Yeah. You're right." Lucas responded.

She walked by him and out the doorway, her gaze partially averted. Lucas followed her out the door, back through the building to the back where they'd entered from. Maya pushed open the door, and they both froze when they realized it was pouring rain, heavy and loud with accompanying booms of thunder sounding from the distance.

"Crap…" Lucas said, squinting through the rain to where he'd parked his car. It wasn't particularly nearby and there was no way they could reach it without getting soaked to their bones. "What do we do?"

Maya glanced up at him with a shrug. "We make a run for it?"

"You're okay with that?"

"C'mon Huckleberry. A little rain won't hurt us."

And with a laugh, Maya took off in the rain, squealing loudly when she was almost immediately drenched by the heavy storm. Lucas snorted in amusement, but followed after her, heading back to his truck so they could get out of the rain.

By the time they'd gotten to his truck, they were soaked from head to toe, looking like they'd just gotten out of a swimming pool in their clothes. Lucas didn't know what he looked like, but Maya's hair was in some parts of her face, clinging to her skin in clumps, and it was kind of funny.

Lucas stuck his hands in his pockets, searching for his keys.

"Hurry up and unlock it!" Maya said, raising her voice so he could hear her.

Lucas frowned, feeling around for his keys and patting his pockets somewhat urgently, but he honestly couldn't find them. When they'd first arrived, he had them in his hand while carrying the painting, right? He was sure he had eventually put them in his pocket though… Had he dropped them while they had been running?

"I can't find them." Lucas called out over the roar of the rain.

"Wait, seriously?" Maya asked incredulously.

"They're not here."

Maya rose a brow, before her lips pulled into a teasing smirk.

"You sure you're not just stalling on purpose because I'm wearing a white shirt?"

Lucas shook his head, though he couldn't deny that the view from his angle really wasn't that bad. Pink really suited her.

"Maya, I'm so sorry about this." Lucas apologized, leaning closer so she could hear him better. "I don't know where my keys are."

"If you're so sorry, then you should make it up to me..."

It _could_ have been a normal statement with no hidden meanings, but there was something about her tone, something soft and hopeful, that made him think otherwise. She was watching him expectantly, her stormy eyes shining with something that stirred something in him. They gazed at each other, eyes locked and expressions serious. Lucas was sure he could hear his heart thrumming in his ears, much louder than even the sound of the rain.

There could be potential problems if he misread her, but he was willing to take that risk.

Lucas stepped closer to her, reaching out and brushing her wet hair out of her face before tucking it behind her ear. Then he cupped her face and leaned down, pressing his lips to hers without another thought. Maya's eyes fluttered shut with a sigh and she grabbed his collar, tugging him closer until their bodies were flush against each other. His heart was racing wildly in his chest. He had dreamed about kissing Maya in so many scenarios for so many years, but he never believed it could come true.

He wasn't sure how long he kissed her, but when he broke away, she was a little out of breath and a little dazed, a slight red tint to her cheeks as she gazed up at him.

Maya beamed, sliding her arms up around his neck as she rose to her tiptoes.

"About time, Lucas..."

He smiled, wrapping his arms around her waist, holding her tightly to him as they kissed softly and unhurried, the rain falling all around them.

And he couldn't ask for a more perfect moment.


	44. Heat

**A/N: KAY BIG RANT. Apologies lol but I figured I should respond after seeing some pretty animated comments ahahaha ^_^  
**

 **Hi omg the new ep! Hahahah okay so truth bomb: I haven't actually watched any full episodes since Hurricane (I'm trying to wait it out so I can binge all the episodes at the end of the season and get one continuous story). So I'm actually not a credible opinion until I watch the episode in full lol (though you saying that is really sweet :D). BUT, I went ahead and found a few Youtube clips related to what you mentioned anyway. And my verdict: Maya's discovery isn't a red herring. It's pretty clear that she's able to portray Riley with no qualms. I think Katy's comment about the misconstrued perceptions was the red herring in regard to Maya acting as Riley. Why the writers threw Katy's comment in there? I don't know. To try to soften the blow of Maya's discovery, maybe? Because it is a pretty huge thing to figure out.  
**

 _[ **SPOILERS IF YOU HAVEN'T SEEN YEARBOOK YET** : Anyway, Maya hastening to remove her Riley personification is a clear indication that she's freaked out about what she just learned about her best friend. And clearly, the brother thing pertains to Riley, otherwise Maya wouldn't have kept it a secret. Why would Maya need to hide the fact that she (Maya) sees Lucas as a brother? Her seeing Lucas as a brother doesn't mean anything because their relationship isn't romantic in the first place so Riley wouldn't need to be kept in the dark by Maya seeing Lucas as a brother and Maya probably would have told her. Not to mention, if Maya discovered she (Maya) herself saw Lucas as a brother, she would definitely tell Riley, who was upset about the Lucaya best couple page, in order to help her feel better about it. So the brother thing probably (read: definitely) is about Riley. I suspect Maya hid it because Riley is very innocent, a bit naive, and she has a lot to learn about relationships and love and stuff and I'm sure Maya knew if she had told Riley the truth, Riley would probably get very confused and deeply affected by it (think a circuit frying and then exploding type of thing). It would probably mess Riley up, who has a pretty big crush on Lucas and still is under the impression that Lucas is the one for her. Riley hasn't recognized her true feelings yet, so Maya is staying hush hush about it because she knows Riley isn't ready to hear that or acknowledge it yet.]_

 **Hmmm. And as for the _Lucaya,_ there was nothing in those clips I watched that signified a definite or confirmed Lucaya future (though you already know I do believe they were slated to happen from the start as I stated in another annoying rant in chapter 15 ahahah), so even if Rucas will become platonic at some point, there was no direct evidence pointing to a possible Lucaya relationship ( _yet._ again hahah I fully believe they _will_ happen). As of now, the Rucas romance/arc is still in full swing and they haven't even experienced being a real couple yet, so any Lucaya we get will be platonic for a while. Maya needs to get over Josh first and Lucas needs to get over Riley before anything will happen between them. I don't see that happening this season though. Maybe the middle of the next? Possibly the last? Bah who knows... We'll probably be waiting a while, but I'll sit here patiently and wait for things to build nice and slow because the payoff when Lucaya finally gets together is going to be oh so worth it!  
**

 **Sorry about the rant! But those are my thoughts, love :)  
**

 **Enjoy! Thank you for the lovely reviews! I really appreciate them! It means a lot and you guys are the sweetest people ever :D  
**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own GMW.**

* * *

 **Title: Heat  
Pairings&Characters: Lucas, Maya** **, Riley, Lucaya/Rucas triangle (Rucaya? lol), Riley/OCs, Lucas/OCs  
Genre: ****ANGST,** **AU** **  
Rating: High T for** ** **Torrid Heat  
** Summary: Lucas and Maya get a little carried away.  
**

 **The level of difficulty in writing this one was off the charts guys. This is my first time writing anything like this and I'm not sure I like the end product, so let me know honestly if it needs some work.  
**

 **Request by OlyveTheOctopus for Maya convincing Lucas to dance with her to make Riley jealous. Due to the… _nature_ of your request, I aged the characters up to 17. And I omitted a part of the prompt because if that happened at a school dance, I'm sure they would get kicked out lol. Thank you for the request Ollie! :3**

 **Note: Imagine the nastiest, dirtiest song that's ever been played at a school dance. And that's exactly what they're dancing to lol. I left it ambiguous so you can all imagine it your own way :)  
**

* * *

Lucas sits in his chair at the table, eyes narrowed in irritation as he watches the scene a little ways away from him at another table. Riley is talking to Gabriel, her date, laughing at something he had said.

They'd been taking a break in their relationship to see other people, see where things went and if they wanted to call it quits for real or try to make things work again. They'd been on break since the second semester of their sophomore year and since then, Riley has dated around, meeting several other guys.

Lucas has dated a couple other people too, so it isn't like he's totally jealous or anything. It just kind of annoys him that even after all this time, things still haven't been figured out. Maybe it's his fault because of his refusal to discuss with her why he asked for a break back then, but now Riley seems to be deliberately avoiding him at all costs.

He had been hoping that they could hash this out for homecoming, but Riley had rejected him and gone with some ass from a neighbouring school who she had been introduced to by some of her cheerleader friends. Lucas had ended up going with a girl in his Analysis class, but his stormy mood and sour expressions all evening had driven her away, and she'd been spending her evening with friends.

But Lucas doesn't care.

He vaguely wonders if maybe it really is time to call it quits with Riley. From what it seems like, things really do seem to be over. It just pisses him off that she isn't making any attempts to try to meet him halfway and mend their friendship or relationship. He doesn't really care which one at this point. He just wants her to acknowledge him. But he knows she'll continue to refuse to speak to him until he tells her why he wanted a break.

But he can't.

Lucas' view of Riley and her date is suddenly cut off by purple, crowding his vision and forcing him to focus his vision on what's directly in front of him. Maya stands in front of him in her short, tight purple dress and silver pumps, purposely blocking his sight. He drags his eyes away from her cleavage in his direct line of sight and brings his eyes up to hers, slightly annoyed by her interruption of his brooding. Her hands are on her hips, and she's staring down at him with a raised brow looking very displeased.

"What." He says, a little uneasy.

"It's homecoming. We're supposed to be having fun." Maya sounds a little out of breath. She had probably just gotten off the dance floor. "What the hell are you doing sitting at a table looking like you're about to kill someone?"

"What do you think?"

She's the last person he wants to see right now. Maya stares at him pensively for a moment, before she rolls her eyes with a sigh.

"Look, if you're really that bothered about Riley and Gabriel, why don't you do something about it?"

He says nothing, a confused frown on his face. He can't just up and punch out Riley's date to talk to her. And he doesn't think that Riley would be willing to have a conversation about what their deal is in the middle of the dance anyway seeing as how any attempts he'd made to speak to her were thwarted by her suddenly grabbing her date and running off on the dance floor. Besides, she'd been purposely avoiding him all night. Clearly she doesn't want to speak to him.

Maya rolls her eyes at his confusion. "Let's dance."

"Maya, I'm really not in the mood."

Not to mention, the thought of dancing with Maya is a little nervewracking in his opinion. Sure, they're close friends, but not the type of close friends who can just casually dance with each other like that. And not to this music. It would involve way too much physical contact with her than they've ever had before, and that's a little worrying if he's to be perfectly honest.

"Listen genius." She snarks, bending down at the waist and looking him straight in the eye. Lucas stares at the crown of her head, knowing any lower and his peripheral will give him a view down her dress. "You don't know if Riley's even still interested in being with you, right? So you try to make her jealous. Her reaction will tell you your answer. And then you can talk and figure out all the crap that's going on right now."

He stares back at her, brows lifting in surprise. Her plan makes sense. In fact, he's sure Riley would easily notice her two friends on the floor dancing. And no doubt she would question it and want answers, thus opening an opportunity for him to speak to her and figure this out once and for all.

But there's something a little worrying about the plan. Dancing with Maya doesn't sound _revolting_ per se, but it certainly makes Lucas anxious. Maya has a habit of turning his thoughts to the gutter, even if she is unaware. Dancing with her in close quarters while she's wearing that dress? Guaranteed gutter thoughts.

"C'mon. You literally have some storm clouds over your head. You need to liven up a bit. Even Farkle is letting loose, and he hates dances."

Lucas leans over and looks past Maya where Farkle is dancing with his date and genuinely looking like he's having a good time. When he glances back at her, she smirks and grabs his hands, taking several steps back towards the dance floor to force him to his feet. Lucas stands up with a resigned sigh and follows her reluctantly, his brows furrowing in slight trepidation when the song changes. She leads him to an area where there are students crowded on the floor, but still close enough to the tables that if Riley happens to look away from her date for a moment, she'll see them.

"I don't know if it's a good idea to dance to _this_ song." Lucas says when Maya turns to face him.

It certainly isn't a song that platonic friends would dance to. He looks around the floor where other couples are dancing on each other—rather inappropriately might he add.

"Relax Huckleberry. It's just a dance." Maya says with a smirk. "Doesn't have to mean anything."

"I don't know…" Lucas hesitates, staring at Maya before glancing over where Riley is still giggling about something her date said.

Maya takes his chin in her hand, turning his head back to face hers.

"Eyes on me, okay?" She says seriously, "Follow my lead."

Maya takes a few slow steps back from him, hips swaying slightly as she gives him a racy look with her smoky eyes. As the chorus starts, she lip syncs the lyrics with a flirtatious wink before slowly moving her hands up her body and chest and around her neck before tangling them in her mess of coils. She closes her eyes, running her fingers through her hair as she rocks her hips side by side, her dress riding up dangerously high on her thighs, and exposing more of her smooth legs.

Lucas' jaw slackens slightly as he watches her, his eyes widening in surprise at the impromptu little show she's giving him. At the way her dress clings to her curves like a second skin as she lets the music take over her body. At her naughty smile and the way she flashes him suggestive looks through her eyelashes.

And he can't lie.

He likes it a lot more than he knows he should.

She sidles up to him and curls her hand around his tie, biting her lower lip with a playful smile as she sways her hips.

"Loosen up, cowboy." She teases before turning around and leaning back into him.

Maya takes his hands and slowly guides them to her waist. He holds her lightly, but makes no efforts to match her movements. She glances over her shoulder at him, raising a brow at his lack of motion.

"You know if we want to make this work, it has to be convincing on both ends?"

Lucas frowns, a little put off by the way his pulse seems to be violently reacting to Maya's proximity.

"Maya… Are you sure this is a good idea?"

But if he's being totally honest, he's not referring to the jealous Riley ploy. He's referring to them dancing together. There's this alarm ringing in his head that they're stepping into dangerous unaddressed territory. Territory that he has always tried to keep tampered down at all costs. And he's a little worried what the consequences will be.

"Trust me. It'll work."

"…I don't really have a choice, do I?"

"Not really, no."

With a sigh, Lucas pulls her against him, closing the little bit of space between them, hands sliding down to her hips as they dance. He tries to keep his eyes on the top of her head and not on the exposed skin of her shoulders and the front of her dress.

They move together to the dirty music blaring from the speakers, his body against hers as Maya grinds her ass on him. He's not sure what he had been expecting when she proposed the idea, but Maya steadily rolling her hips and ass on his crotch, pressing her body flush against him to the point where he's not sure where he ends and she begins is not it. He knows his blood is quickly shooting south and grits his teeth, closing his eyes and inhaling and exhaling heavily as Maya moves against him.

It's chaotic; it's a little erotic, and he can't get enough of the rippling pleasure from the pressure of her ass against his crotch. He's fairly certain he's sporting a slight boner, but if Maya noticed, she definitely isn't saying anything about it. He drops his head onto the crook of her neck, breathing raggedly down her bare shoulders, and he can hear Maya's breathing harshen. He can just taste the salt from the thin sheen of sweat on her body.

They let the music take over as they move with each other, heat radiating between them like a blazing fire, scalding and only growing hotter with each second that passes. He growls lowly against her neck when she arches against him, her hand up behind his neck, tangled in his hair, pushing herself more firmly against his boner as he grips her hips.

With a breathless sigh, Maya spins around, clasping her arms up around his neck, their chests pressed up against each other. Lucas is well aware that his hands are slowly drifting to her ass, but he couldn't care less. Not when he feels the slick sweat gliding down her skin, the pounding bass vibrating in the air around them, how they move perfectly in sync, breathing ragged and coming out in short pants.

And Lucas knows that his thoughts are starting to skirt the edge of dangerous with images of Maya's dress on the floor of his bedroom, but he can't help it. Not with the way she continues to dance on his arousal, soft, breathy sighs leaving her lips. Not with the way her sexy perfume and that light scent of musk invades all his senses, making it harder to think clearly. And especially not with the way her face is flushed, and she seems to be biting back a moan.

She's as turned on as he is.

And he knows he's losing control.

Their gazes lock, faces centimeters apart and mouths slightly parted and close enough that they are sharing the same air. Only a slight motion on either of their parts will result in their lips making contact and honestly, that doesn't sound too bad to Lucas.

The song ends and drifts into another one, and they gradually stop moving, gazing at each other as Maya slowly slides her hands to his chest, her eyes hazy and inviting, the strobe lights in the darkened gym making her eyes flash with multiple colours. Lucas' hands move from her hips up to her waist, caressing her gently, his eyes traveling down to her lips.

He wonders whether it would be a bad idea for him to kiss her. To just cover her lips with his and slip his tongue in her mouth. Because that's all he can think about. Those tantalizing painted lips and her lithe body pressed up against him and all he wants to do is kiss her against the wall and to slide his hands all over her sexy fucking curves.

But before he can act on his desire, Maya pushes against his chest and pulls her face away from his, her breathing a little heavy and face flustered.

"I think it worked." She breathes out.

"What did?"

Lucas frowns, his gaze still trained on her lips as she nervously licks them, running a hand through her hair.

"Riley." She says, reminding him why they had started this in the first place.

And Lucas blinks in shock, momentarily glancing in the brunette's direction. She's staring at them both, an indecipherable look in her eyes, though he does note that her lips are turned down in something of a shocked frown. Her date is nowhere to be found.

"There's your chance." Maya says softly, staring at her hands on his chest and avoiding his gaze, "You should go talk to her."

"Right…" Lucas swallows tightly, though he doesn't want to let go of Maya.

They remain in that position for a while, ignoring the gyrating teens nearby them and the music still blasting from speakers around them. He reaches up and brushes some fallen hair out of Maya's face, and her eyes meet his, the heat dancing in them unmistakable. But there's regret in her expression and he knows what's going to happen before she opens her mouth.

"Thanks for the dance, Lucas."

She removes his hands from her waist and pulls away from him, keeping her eyes downcast. She walks away, and Lucas can do nothing but stare after her, his breathing still a little uneven after the moment they shared. He doesn't know _what_ that was, but he knows it's not something he can just ignore anymore. Not after reacting that strongly to her.

And he knows what he has to do.

Maybe it's a rash decision, but he can't help but feel like he's making the right one. And maybe it might be a while before Maya decides to speak to him again, but he knows it'll be worth it in the end.

He watches Maya for a while as she heads to the punch table before looking over at Riley, still staring at him with that somewhat injured look in her eyes.

He walks over to her table, knowing he can feel his palms growing a bit clammy with his nerves. As he approaches, he can see the slight hint of jealousy in her eyes, and he hates that what he has to say won't make it any better, but this has to be done. He pulls out the chair in front of her and sits down in it, his expression serious. She stares at him, obviously waiting for an explanation of that scene she had just witnessed.

"Riley."

"Lucas."

She's sitting a little stiffly, her expression tense, and he can see the unease in her gaze. He runs his hand through his hair, knowing things are about to change for good.

"You wanted to know why I needed a break."


	45. Losing Herself

**A/N: Boredom III will be next :3 Also, just reminding everyone: I just wanted to let you know that I still am working on requests and knocking them off one at a time :) It's going to be slow getting through all of them, but I do see your requests and I promise I always take them into consideration! No request is ignored!  
**

 **Enjoy! Thank you for reviewing the chapter! I appreciate it very much! :)  
**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own GMW.**

* * *

 **Title: Losing Herself  
Pairings&Characters: Maya, Lucas** **, Lucaya  
Genre: ****Angst,** **WAFF/Fluff,** **Romance,** **AU** **  
Rating: T for** ** **Tentative Feelings  
** Summary: Maya's thoughts the morning after.  
**

 **Musings from an insomniatic mind due to a frisky pregnant kitty cat... Soooo tired... So I decided to write some major word vomit.  
**

* * *

When Maya wakes up, she's disoriented at first, then confused, then worried (really worried).

It's the sounds of the birds that rouse her out of her slumber, chipper and cheerful and pecking at her bedroom window as if Riley sent them directly as a wake up call.

She resigns herself to the fact that she has yet again hooked up with someone spur of the moment and will have to suffer the consequences now.

Because she's naked and the dude in question is holding her from behind. Or rather, spooning her with his arm wrapped firmly around her torso and a leg sandwiched in between hers. He's snoring softly, face buried in the tangled waves of her wild blonde hair and breath lightly caressing the side of her neck in his sleep.

Oh and did she mention he was naked too? Or at least, she knows he is because she can _feel_ him pressing persistently against her ass.

She finally settles on relief and a sense of comfort when she recognizes the scent of the person.

A rich, masculine pine type of musk mixed in with a faded earthy cologne that she's grown quite accustomed to since their late high school years. And of course, that after scent of sex that reminds her of just what activities transpired in her room and pulling her out of her post-coital haze and back into the present (and the constant reminder from her sore limbs and surprisingly pleasant ache of just how _active_ last night was).

And she knows she loves his scent.

The scent that is entirely surrounding her and forcing her to come to terms with the fact that right now, she is lying in bed with Lucas Friar. Naked. After a night of fucking (but was it really "fucking"? There's a little too much between them for this _thing_ to be labeled as something so impersonal).

 _Shit._

Holy shit.

And that sense of relief very quickly becomes internal panic. Not because she's particularly scared (is she?). But she can't help that small feeling of trepidation that she's had a horrible triumph (or made a wonderful mistake?). She wills herself not to overthink things, but she's been fighting her sexual attraction and tension with Lucas for years and now that something has finally come out of it, she's not sure what to do.

Part of her ( _most_ of her), wants to gather up her clothes and hightail it out of the apartment, but begrudgingly, she realizes she's in her own apartment and leaving would only prove that she _is_ scared.

And no, she's not scared of sex. She's had plenty of experiences (her first being in high school with her first serious boyfriend), so she's not a stranger to it. But this is something entirely different. And she can't just shove this to the back of her mind as a random hookup. And _that_ scares her.

But she can't help but be amazed at how much she has really wanted this. How long she had been obstinate and in denial about her desire and now that it has happened, she's not sure she can ever live without this again. Live without him again.

She stiffens and stills when she feels him shift and loosen his grip on her body.

Slowly, she peeks over her shoulder to peer at her sleeping bedmate.

Watching Lucas's stupid sexy sleeping face, Maya can't fight that nervous fluttering in her stomach that she'd been ignoring since they hit high school years ago. That warm, tingling feeling that seemed to wrack her whole body every time he smiled at her.

 _Fuck,_ this was crazy…

She'd never thought in a million years, that she would actually be with Lucas. She knows the base feeling she is experiencing is _happiness_ , but there's something else buried there. Something all encompassing, and _frightening_ and swelling in her chest as she looks at the boy (well, _man_ ) sleeping behind her. Tousled, boyish hair in disarray. The soft smile on his lips as he slumbers. The steady breaths of his sleep.

She lets her gaze travel down to the lean muscles of his biceps and strong, muscular planes of his chest. And further down, following the hair trailing down from his sculpted torso…

Lucas Friar is definitely a lucky son of a bitch.

And she knows she's really enjoying the view. She's seen him barely clothed before (a couple accidental ventures into the boy's locker room after his practices back when they were in high school), but never in such circumstances. And especially not in circumstances like last night's, which had been crude, obscene, and borderline animalistic as they'd stumbled through the darkness of her apartment. (If Maya were a prude, or a virgin, she's sure she'd be blushing at the things they'd done. At the things he'd done _to_ her).

But all good things will come to an end eventually.

And Lucas, by her books, is a good thing. Too good.

Maya pushes away that painful tugging in her chest and carefully rolls out of bed, looking for something quick to wear (Lucas' button down because it's the only piece of clothing that actually made it to her bedroom). She sneaks out of the bedroom and tiptoes quietly to the kitchen, pointing out where pieces of her clothes are hanging haphazardly on paintings and furniture. (Are those her panties on the ceiling fan?!)

She's not particularly hungry or in the mood to cook anything so she fills her mug with some week old, cool, stale coffee. She knows she hates the stuff, but her mind is racing right now and recently, it's become the only thing that can keep her mind from flying completely off the deep end.

The first heavy gulp is almost heavenly, and she lets it wash over her with a soft sigh. But all too soon, the effect of the caffeine diminishes and her thoughts go back to the topic at hand. She grips her mug tightly, frowning at the almost empty coffee maker.

She slept with Lucas.

She absentmindedly strokes her cat's chin, staring at the liquid sloshing in her mug. But as chill as she's trying to be, she can't find her zen or relax with the knowledge that it has happened and can never be taken back.

Because despite what everyone might think (because she's indifferent and carefree Maya), she _does_ in fact become attached in some way or another to people she hooks up with. And each hook up only serves to further remind her that she is terrified of commitment or growing too attached to the person.

Like she has with Lucas Friar.

Because she knows if she lets him get under her skin (the way he already has since that first fateful day she pretended to date him for a total of ten seconds) she will never be able to let him go. She will never want to let him go.

And above that, she's afraid she'll become her mother. She'll become a person who is left. And if Lucas leaves her… she doesn't know if she'll ever be able to recover. And more than anything, that is what scares her the most.

What if even after all of this, he doesn't want anything to do with her? What if he decides to leave?

And Maya knows unknowingly, he has the power to tear her down. To break her into a million pieces mercilessly. She'd already given him her heart ages ago. The night he held her as she cried when Gammy passed. And now with _this_ new development, she doesn't think she'll ever be able to take it back.

Her pulse races when two masculine arms snake around her waist and cradle her to a firm chest.

"Morning..." He murmurs on her skin, pressing soft kisses to her neck.

"Hey." She greets nonchalantly, though her mind is dancing and goosebumps are rising on her flesh.

She can't find it in herself to relax in his hold, despite the warmth from his arms and the steady beating of his heart in his chest. His breaths are dusting over her skin, and she bites her lower lip to keep from sighing.

"You okay?"

The question is simple enough. It could mean anything. But she can hear the slight uncertainty in his voice, no doubt aware of her discomfort. He's always been able to read her pretty easily. She knows this is an offer: he's giving her a chance to talk things out with him after what happened between them. He's putting the ball in her court to decide if she wants to continue this thing.

But that's the thing. She doesn't really want to talk. She knows what she _wants_ to say.

 _Lucas, I like you. I think I might even love you._

But she's not sure if she's ready to say that. She's not sure if that's allowed.

After all, when he'd showed up at her home the night before, back from Texas after she hadn't seen him in a year, she'd invited him in. One drink had turned into two turned into ten and before she knew it, she hadn't _thought_. She'd just acted, letting her overwhelming emotions take over. He'd been surprised by her reaction (hell, she had certainly been too), but it hadn't taken him long to hold her tightly. To kiss her until her lips were swollen and she was dizzy and lightheaded. To trail his fingers all over her overheated skin. To show her he'd missed her just as much as she'd missed him. To make love to her until she was gasping for breath.

She's not sure if what he'd felt was genuine—if he was only reacting, caught in the moment and distracted by her fervent kisses—and she doesn't know if it's worth the heartache finding out.

"I'm…"

She considers lying to him. Telling him she's okay. That everything that transpired between them didn't affect her. That it didn't mean anything, and she's completely open to them remaining friends.

But he'll see through her lies.

He always does.

Even so…

"…okay."

She can feel his nose gently nuzzling her tangled mess of coils.

"Well I'm not." he says with a sigh.

Maya frowns in confusion, a little bewildered by his response.

"What?"

He rests his chin on her head, his breathing deep and even and soothing Maya's jumping nerves.

"I come back from Texas after a year, intending to tell the woman I love how I feel and fully prepared for rejection. But she kisses me. And we end up sleeping together. And it's the best night of my life."

Maya's breath hitches at his words, her eyes widening in surprise.

"And I know now that I honestly can't back away from her. I'm stuck on her like glue. But I know she's going to try to run. So I'm trying to cherish whatever moments I have with her now before she lies and tells me it meant nothing."

She stares silently at her cat curiously poking her mug, her heart drumming in her ears at his confession.

"And I'd hate to leave, but the last thing I want to do is make her uncomfortable. Even though I love her, I'll have to let her go if she wants me to."

She opens her mouth to respond, but Lucas gently reaches up and covers it with his hand.

"Hold on. There's more." The arm around her waist tightens its hold the slightest bit. "I know I'm selfish for imposing my feelings on her without giving her any time to think, but that's because I'm not asking her to figure it out now. She's not ready yet. But I want to stick around. See where things take us if she'll let me. No matter how long it takes for her to be ready. Because last night meant something to me. Is that okay with her?"

His hand leaves her mouth and rejoins its twin around her waist, and Maya stands there in shock, her pulse racing as Lucas patiently waits for her response. And like always after talking to Lucas, Maya feels her fears evaporate. She feels everything that had been plaguing her thoughts suddenly evaporate. And deep down, she feels her want to run evaporate.

"Yeah…" Maya whispers, resting her arms on top of his, a smile tugging on her lips.

She looks over her shoulder as he leans down and the kiss they share leaves Maya heartbeat racing and her eyes fluttering shut. It's steady, sweet, and soft, but most importantly, it conveys to her that even though she's not okay and that she's still wary, she _will be_ okay. _They_ will be okay.

It's his guarantee.

She believes it.

And that's enough for her to turn around and let him lift her up on the counter, her insecurities flitting away from the touch of his hands under the shirt, gently caressing the skin of her waist.

Maya loves and hates that he can make her lose herself so easily. And maybe that's the scariest thing about Lucas: how he's perverted her mind and her life so deeply that his mere presence alone is enough to make her lose it.

And she's far from figuring out just where she wants to go from here.

But it's okay.

They've got all the time in the world.


	46. Boredom III

**A/N: Okay I went through my waitlist of requests and realized it's gotten completely out of control again LOLOL! I'm not doing another update a day, but the next chunk of oneshots will be pretty much only requests I've received since July ahahah! I need to knock some of these off again! :D  
**

 **Enjoy! Thank you for the lovely reviews! I never cease to smile whenever I read all of your kind words! You all are too sweet! :)  
**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own GMW.**

* * *

 **Title: Boredom III  
Pairings&Characters: Maya, Lucas** **  
Genre:** **Friendship, Humor (? hmmm... not so much)** **,** **AU** **  
Rating: Very High T for Talking Like Pervs Some More** ** **  
**Summary: Lucas and Maya pass notes in class... Yet again.  
**

 **As always, anything you don't know and look up will probably be nsfw... so be careful. Decided to switch things up a bit in this one. Also both are 16 now but still freshman in high school.  
**

 **I slipped in a request by You Can Call Me Effie for Lucas learning about the Uncle Boing vs. Bucky McBoingBoing thing. Hope it worked! Thank you for your request, love :3**

 **Bold is Lucas.** _Italicized is Maya._ **  
**

* * *

 **Hey**

...

...

...

 **Hey**

...

...

...

 **Hey Maya**

...

...

...

 **Earth to Clutterbucket**

 _wow. i never realized how truly annoying that is_

 **It is, isn't it?**

 _yeah, so bye_

 **I'm bored. Don't you have something entertaining?**

...

...

...

 **Maya**

...

...

...

 **Penelope**

...

...

...

 **Clutterbucket**

...

...

...

 **Hart**

...

...

...

 **Little shortstack of pancakes.**

 _srsly huckleberry? you're doing this right now?_

 **Yeah :P**

 _you can't see my face right now, but i am giving you a death glare_

 **I just find it hard to believe that the Maya Hart who will pass notes even through a writing assignment isn't passing any right now.**

 _in case you didn't notice, i'm trying to focus_

 **Okay where's Maya Hart and what have you done with her**

 _leave me alone_

 **Are you actually trying to pay attention in class?**

 _look. you may have gotten a perfect score on the last french exam and don't need this review of the questions, but i didn't okay?_

 **I can tell you the right answers later**

 _that's not going to help me if i don't understand the material_

 **Since when has that stopped you from just having me give it to you anyway?**

...

...

...

 **Hey**

...

...

...

 **Maaaaayaaaaa**

...

...

...

 **You can't ignore me forever.**

 _yes i can. watch me_

 **And by responding to this note, you've actually contradicted your statement.**

 _you're oh so funny. ha HURRR  
_

 **No but seriously, since when has that stopped you. What's going on?**

 _i just wanted to try harder in classes  
_

 **You were dead asleep during history. Don't even try to lie.**

 _fine. truth is, there's a new transfer student in our grade from france_

 **Oh right! I heard about him. Clément, right?**

 _yeah. and he's in my studio art class_

 **What does him being in art with you have to do with you trying harder in French class?**

...

...

...

 **Are you trying to hold conversations with him in French?**

...

...

...

 **Wait… no way…**

...

...

...

 **I know you can't see my face, but I want you to know I am silently laughing my ass off right now.**

 _you're being a real ass today, you know that?_

 **You like him!**

 _no_

 **You have a crush on him and you're trying to impress him which is why you're trying to do better in French class.**

 _that's not why_

 **Then what is?**

 _i just wanted to do better in this class_

 **So why did you bring him up?**

 _i can't stand you_

 **Because today I have the upperhand?**

...

...

...

 **Maya.**

...

...

...

 **C'mon Maya, don't be like that.**

 _you're making fun of me. i don't like to be mocked_

 **Okay well 1) hypocrite 2) I'm not making fun of you. I just find it really funny  
that I've been trying to get you to do better for a year, and to think: all it takes is a crush on a guy.**

 _i've done better on my own accord w/o that incentive tyvm  
_

 **Oh yeah? When?**

 _final exams last semester. you took all yours early because you were going to tx._  
 _you convinced me to study with you since you would be taking your notes with you. so i did_

 **That doesn't count. That was desperation on your part because there wouldn't be any notes  
**

 _when i tried to sleep during study hall that one time and you forced me to finish up at least a paragraph. i listened then too_

 **Maya that wasn't really on your own accord though.**

 _well what about when i decided to take the difficult science classes with you guys?_

 **That's because Josh suggested it. Face it, you only take measures to do better when some guy you have a crush on is involved.**

 _that's not true. when we were coming into high school and had to take that language proficiency test to skip beginner and  
be admitted to french II this year i studied hard on my own accord to get in this class so we could still be in the same class  
_

 **Okay fine. I'll count that as your own effort. But that still proves my point.**

 _and what's that  
_

 **You only choose to put effort when some guy you have a crush on is involved.**

 _did you hit your head or st? if you're implying that i have a crush on you, i think you should go to the nurse's office to get checked for a concussion  
_

 **I'm not implying. You do have a crush on me  
**

...

...

...

 **Maya**

...

...

...

 **Shortstack**

...

...

...

 **Pancake**

 _stop poking me with your pencil! it's sharp as hell!_

 **Respond to my inquiry**

 _no_

 **Maaaaaayaaaaaa**

 _STOP_

 **Oh Maaaayaaaa  
**

 _why the hell are your fingers in my hair? (though i do appreciate the head massage. that actually feels really good)_

 **It's the only way to get your attention.**

 _i'm trying to focus in this class, hopalong_

 **Sure, sure. So since you're choosing to keep mum about it, I take it that it's an affirmation of your feelings?**

 _my silence was a refusal to dignify your delusions with a response. but you clearly won't leave me alone so_  
 _humour me. how, pray tell, did you possibly come to that ridiculous conclusion that i have a crush on you?_

 **You think I'm cute, as you stated when we first met each other.**

 _so? i think lots of people are cute. zay is cute. billy is cute. farkle is cute. brandon is cute._  
 _charlie is cute. i can acknowledge when someone is attractive. do I have crushes on them? no_

 **Yes, but there are different levels of meaning in thinking someone is cute, according to Riley.**

 _did riles say st about me? what did she say? because she lied_

 **She didn't say anything in particular. But I did have an interesting conversation with her the other day. She**  
 **told me you call Josh Uncle Boing because you think he's hot. And you like him. So why do I have two Boings?**

 _we are so not talking about this right now_

 **The amount of Boings equates the strength of the crush.**

 _you're wrong_

 **Am I? :D**

 _stop bugging me, sundance_

 **I don't think I want to tbh. This is the first time I've had the upperhand on you in a long time. I don't want to let this opportunity go.**

 _you're dealing with forces beyond your control, huck. it's gonna blow up in your face. one does not have the jump on maya hart for very long_

 **And until that time comes, I'm going to enjoy being ahead.**

 _i'm off my game right now, but that's not going to last forever_

 **True. But it's lasting right now so I think I should take advantage of the opportunity.**

 _why am i even talking to you. you're irritating_

 **You love me ;D**

...

...

...

 **You know what I just realized? Did Zay ever replace your sunglasses that he broke?**

 _he didn't! i am so kicking his ass after school. well. with your permission ofc  
_

 **Permission granted. Although, I would have assumed considering how attracted you are to me, you wouldn't have asked for permission.**

 _…why…?_

 **So you could tangle with me  
**

 _… why do I get the feeling that you're being the nasty, pervy teen boy you and I both know you are?_

 **There's a chance there was some innuendo in that last message**

 _what the hell is the matter with you today? what's in your water bottle?_

 **It's just fun to rile you up.**

...

...

...

 **Hey, are you ever going to get your license any time soon?**

 _i want to. but i don't have a car for the test_

 **Didn't Shawn let you practice with his? Use his.**

 _yeah, but he's on a road trip. he's not coming back until may. car's not available_

 **You can use my car for your test.**

 _you have a truck. and you drive stick at that_

 **Stick shift's not that hard. I can teach you until you get the hang of it. We can practice our French while we're at it.**

 _you'll be taking a lot of time out of your day_

 **It's fine**

 _why_

 **Because I'm sick of being the one who has to drive everyone everywhere!  
At least if you have your license, there'll be another driver for the summer.**

 _hahaha! really? that's why? you do realize i still don't have a car of my own, so even if i get my  
license you'll still be the person who brings us everywhere_

 **Damn**

 _sucks for you x'D_

...

...

...

 _okay i'm bored_

 **What happened to paying attention and trying to focus?**

 _i know you're smirking behind me, and i'm just going to ignore it  
_

 **What about impressing your crush?**

 _no crush is worth this much work… it's impractical. and quite frankly this post exam review session isn't going to help me improve in conversation_

 **Classic Maya**

 _what have you been doing this whole time?_

 **Staring at the back of your head. Nothing new**

 _tf_

 **Just wanted to see how you would react to that.**

 _…yeah. anyway, i just thought up of a fun game!_

 **Let me guess: a sexual game, right?**

 _you know me too well :D_

 **Eh, might as well. There's nothing interesting going on in class.**

 _it's called 'Guess the deepest sexual fantasies of your friends'. you guess what kind of deep, dark_  
 _things they fantasize about wanting in sex. so pick a friend. anyone goes  
_

 **Okay, Farkle.  
**

 _i think he probably would love a fifty shades of grey type scenario where he's a ceo and_  
 _she's a shy or sexually unaware virgin or something. inexperienced and a little naïve maybe_

 **You think Farkle would be into bondage?**

 _i mean, he's all big on conquering the world. he's definitely dom. and it'd be a good way to mask his insecurity of feeling small_

 **Damn. That's thorough.**

 _i try_

 **Almost as if you've thought about it extensively and at length before.**

 _shut up huckleberry. your turn. missy_

 **She would probably want to be dressed in cat ears and paws and have a leash put around her neck and then ordered around. Probably spanked too.**

 _you sure that's not what you fantasized about her?_

 **Har har. I don't fantasize about missy.**

 _i'm just saying_

 **Whatever Maya. Zay.**

 _an orgy with a bunch of ballerinas!_

 **Holy shit. That's good!**

 _thank you :) okay smackle_

 **Playing doctor with someone where she gets to poke and prod and observe them as she  
wishes with whatever she wishes doing whatever she wishes.**

 _hahahaha! that would be her. she'd probably also strap them down too_

 **That's actually kind of terrifying. Okay what about Billy?**

 _getting rimmed by missy in a nurse's outfit. he'd probably want a dildo shoved up his ass too_

 **As horrifying as that sounds, I agree.**

 _should we include riley in this game? i mean, mr. matthews wasn't able to get her out of bio. and we've already learned about reproduction and development  
_

 **I guess so… but her fantasy wouldn't be anything extreme. I'd say vanilla scented candles, bed of roses, gentle, mushy type stuff.**

 _for now. just wait until i start sneaking her into x rated movies though!_

 **Mr. Matthews needs to be careful about you. You're deadset on turning Riley into a pervert like you.**

 _you're the only real pervert in our friend group huckleberry. no one else even got close to having your score  
_

 **I still don't believe those results were accurate!**

 _suck it up. okay do josh!_

 **A hot professor fantasy. She tells him he's failing and to stay after class for an extra credit**  
 **test. And then she instructs him what to do and how to please her and will grade him for it.**

 _as much as i hate to admit it, that sounds pretty damn legit_

 **He does seem like the type to fantasize about screwing a teacher. Okay, Charlie.**

 _oh that's an easy one. pretty brunette acting like a shy, but somewhat naughty librarian. i'm talking the_ _works: glasses,  
red lipstick, short tight skirt, high heels, hair in a bun. and then he gets to bend her over a table and take her from behind  
_

 **Okay that's umm… intense. And because I know who you're talking about, it's kind of weird.**

 _i mean, you can't deny that he's probably thought about it a lot. he's a teenage boy with a crush. but it is weird to think about… eww_

 **I think this game just died.**

 _i think so too_ _…_

...

...

...

 _what about you?_

 **What about me?**

 _what's your sexual fantasy?_

 **I'm not telling you.**

 _why not? It's all part of the game, huckleberry_

 **You're never going to let me live it down.**

 _it's no big deal._

 **Hmmmm...**

 _i'll tell you mine if you tell me yours_

 **Fine. I've always thought someone speaking French to me and just taking control would be kind of sexy.**

 _oh i see. you get turned on by old mme dupond?_

 **NO** **. How the hell did you even come to that?!**

 _she speaks french_

 **No. She's like seventy Maya. You know what I meant.**

 _but you didn't specify. you just said someone speaking french. therefore if our teacher spoke french while going down on you, you'd like it_

 **…I am honestly so disgusted right now I can't even think of what to say.**

 _ahahahahahahah! i'm crying! x'D_

 **It's just all kinds of disgusting.**

 _you're kind of an oddball though. most guys would say lingerie or wearing something hot, but you? you say someone speaking a language_

 **I mean… well obviously if they were speaking French and wearing lingerie it'd be even better**

 _giving you head?_

 **That's the ultimate dream, I guess…**

 _you are such a pervert. no wonder you had 69%_

 **I knew I shouldn't have told you.**

 _yupp you shouldn't have. i mean, what did you think i was going to say? 'good job cowboy.  
you've grown up from your youthful naïveté and gentlemanly ways and are now a teenage boy who actively thinks about sex'_

 **I thought you would take the high road this time.**

 _the high road? i'm hurt. it's like you don't even know me, ranger rick_

 **Whatever Maya**

 _and not gonna lie, i honestly thought yours would be cosplaying as comic book superheros or something and going at it in the back of your truck_

 **That's my number two.**

 _ofc. which superheros?_

 **Batman and Catwoman  
**

 _oh yeah? who's your catwoman in the fantasy?  
_

 **N/A**

 _really? is it someone i know?  
_

 **Without a doubt. But I'm not telling you.**

 _perv. i bet it's me._

 **So what's yours?**

 _i don't really have any huge fantasies_

 **Well what would you want?**

 _i guess i want to get bitten or have my hair pulled. being ordered to shut up or st. it'd be hot if the guy was all rough with me_

 **Bitten? Hair pulled? What the hell?**

 _like on the shoulder or the neck or st. i've always wondered what it is about angry sex that my mom likes so much_ _. and  
when i thought about it, it could be nice to have some rough, angry sex. and get bitten. it sounds like a thrill_

 **Are you an M?**

 _i wouldn't know doofus. but the idea of being bitten still excites me_

 **Wow… bitten. Really?**

 _i don't mean like rabid sink teeth into the skin until bleeding type thing, obviously. just a bunch of painful hickeys or st like that during rough sex_

 **Wow. Yours is more perverted than mine. And you sound like an M.**

 _whatever Mr. 69%. you're the pervert. it's already been officially established_

 **If I'm a perv then what does that say about you?**

 _what?_

 **You have a crush on me.**

...

...

...

 **I get that you were irritated, but was it really necessary to crumple it into a ball and throw it at my head? We got caught because of you.**

 _it's your fault for being so damn annoying…_

 **Tomorrow sure as hell is going to be fun. Looking forward to standing up in front of the class and reading off that note. In French.**

 _we're definitely getting a month's worth of detentions_

 **This is bad though. She just happened to catch the note where we mentioned her.**

 _we are such bad influences on each other…_

 **We? I haven't done anything to negatively influence you.**

 _yes you have, porn boy. your perverted thoughts are rubbing off on me_

 **You're the one who keeps coming up with these sexual games! I haven't done anything perverted to you.**

 _maybe not directly. but you stared at my ass today during english_

 **I did not!**

 _i stood up to sharpen my pencil. your eyes were glued to my bum_

 **First off I was NOT staring at you. Second: you sit in front of me. If you stand up, obviously, for a split second, it's in my direct line of sight.**

 _but you didn't look away. and apparently everyone sitting near us could see your not so subtle ogling_

 **Is that why Farkle and Zay wouldn't stop laughing during class?**

 _pretty much. admit it. you were being such a guy_

 **Okay fine. Assume I was staring at your ass (which I wasn't). I'd like to point out the fact that you never called me out **  
**on it when it happened. Why? You weren't upset about it, because after all, you love the fact that you had your crush's attention.**

 _…there are no words for that_

 **That's it, Maya? No witty comebacks? No ripostes?**

 _sorry, i couldn't think of anything over my unrelenting urge to puke out my guts all over the floor_

 **Awww. You can do better than that, Shortstack.**

 _you irritate me_

 **Because I know how to play the game just as well as you now? Thank you**

 _oh this is far from over. you may be playing the game better right now, but i invented it_

 **Yeah. Just like you invented the name Bucky McBoingBoing to signify your huge crush on me.**

 _i don't have a crush on you!_

 **Then why do I have two Boings?**

 _can we stop talking about this? it's just a stupid nickname i came up with on the spot_

 **From a subconscious desire to express your attraction for me.**

...

...

...

 **Why'd you put a ripped yellow post it note with 'Bucky McBoingBoing' on my desk?**

 _it's official. i'm no longer calling you bucky mcboingboing because you have broken and ruined the nickname. the name has been vanquished_

 **Is that all it takes to get rid of the nicknames? Soil their meaning? Why didn't I do this earlier?**

 _don't get your hopes up, buffalo bill. i'll just come up with another one to take its place_

 **I should've expected this.**

 _damn right you should've_

 **Props to you.**

 _thank you. i'll take them in the form of you shutting up_

 **Hahaha that's never going to happen.**

...

...

...

 **You know… now that I think about it 'Boing' as a nickname sounds kind of dirty.**

 _let me guess. in your perverted mind, your (very wrong) assumption is that i use it as a euphemism to compare you and josh?_

 **I mean, I've got two Boings in my nickname. And you know what they say...**

 _what_

 **Everything's bigger in Texas.**

 _…oh hell no._

 **;)**

 _well class is over and i am so_ _done with you._ _i concede this round to you. congratulations. i'm never talking to you again you perv_


	47. A New Chapter

**A/N: Alright, first term starting really soon, so I hate to say this, but there will be a lot more gaps in pretty much all of my story updates. Buuuuuut, expect loads of updates on weekends probably (LOL and when I say gaps in updates, I mean like one update every 2 days instead of multiple updates everyday ahaha xD If I go too long without writing Lucaya, I get withdrawal symptoms...)  
**

 **Enjoy! I appreciate the reviews everyone! Thank you for being patient with me! And thank you for the kind words! :)  
**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own GMW.**

* * *

 **Title: A New Chapter  
Pairings&Characters: Lucaya, Maya, Lucas** **, Zay, Farkle, Charlie,** **Riley, Billy, Missy  
Genre: Angst, Romance, Friendship, WAFF/Fluff, Humor, ****canon to** **AU** **future  
Rating: K+ for** ** **Kisses (First kisses, that is)  
** Summary: Lucas and Maya have their first kiss. Finally.  
**

 **Request by Guest for Maya going 'ha hurr' in Lucas' face, and Lucas kissing her. I changed who says ha hurr because of context. Hope that's okay! Thanks for your request :3  
**

 **Request by Guest for Maya and Lucas first kiss scenario. Thank you for the request, love! :D**

* * *

"Royal flush mofos!" Maya called out, slapping down her cards and then raising her arms in arrogant triumph, "Suck it. Give me your chips."

There was a resounding collection of groans as Maya won yet _another_ poker hand.

"Well… I'm out." Farkle said, leaning back on his arms as Maya took the rest of his chips.

"How do you keep winning?" Charlie asked incredulously, pushing more than half of his chips—which wasn't much—towards her.

"Shawn trained me well." Maya smirked, collecting Billy's chips as well, laughing when he playfully flipped her off. "I got pretty good at playing poker."

Another round of groans broke out amongst her friends, and Maya laughed as she stacked up her chips and rearranged them so they were more organized. She had feigned average skills in the game, using their underestimation and her damn good poker face so well that before they had known it, Maya was tearing up the game. _Destroying_ it. The only person who was still doing well in the game was Riley, but only because she tended to fold frequently and she never took risks in betting her chips.

"So what do you guys want to do? Play another round?"

Missy eyed her in annoyance, her lips pursed and a sassy eyebrow raised. "We barely have any chips, Maya. We can't afford to play any more rounds with you."

"How about Monopoly, then?" Riley suggested, digging around her overnight bag before pulling out the box of the board game, "It'll give us something to do for a while."

"Oh thank God for you, sugar." Zay sighed in relief, "You saved us from having to play another round with Hustlin' Hart over here…"

"Hustlin' Hart." Maya grinned. "I like it."

"Yo man." Billy agreed, leaning his head on Missy's shoulder. "Anything beats getting our butts kicked in poker all night. I'm in."

"So then it's decided." Riley said with a smile, "Let's play Monopoly! I call the dog though! It's just so cute!"

"Somebody go get Lucas." Farkle said, "He went to get some water a while ago. Hasn't come back yet."

"Huh." Maya frowned, "Now that you mention it, he _has_ been gone for like ten hands."

"You should go get him." Zay said to Maya, glancing briefly at Farkle, "I'll put up my cards and we can set up the game so we can start playing when you get back."

Farkle smirked. "Sounds like a plan. Go get him Maya."

"Alright."

As her friends began to clean up and prep for the game, Maya rose to her feet, stretching out her stiff limbs from sitting 'criss cross applesauce' for so long. She walked past several groups of seniors, all littered throughout the gym floor, chatting and laughing in their pajamas.

The first week of second semester was always Spirit Week at their school. And the Thursday night before Friday's Spirit Day was always the senior sleepover. All the seniors slept over at school, goofing off and chilling and having a great time. Some teachers and parents were currently chaperoning, making sure the students were settled in, but once midnight hit, the students would be left on their own to decorate the school and play flashlight tag and just act like a bunch of children.

And around three, like every senior class before them, was when the alcohol and music was busted out for an impromptu and wild dance party on the gym floor. All the best stuff happened after the chaperones left, but until then, most students were occupying their time with watching the movie on the big projector (Little Rascals. Always a classic), playing video games, taking small naps, just chatting, or like her and her group of friends, playing board and card games.

It was a great opportunity for grade-wide bonding and just a good time to remember the best parts of their senior year thus far. In addition, it was like an unwinding event for all of them because they were officially done with their college applications and now could slack off to their heart's content (but not too much, because no one wanted to be _that_ senior that ended up with their enrollment rescinded due to piss poor final semester scores. There was always at least one). It was also kind of bittersweet in a way. A reminder that the very last semester of their time as irresponsible high school kids was upon them.

Maya wondered why Lucas wasn't participating. He'd been a little quiet all evening, not really smiling that much and a little more stiff then she was used to.

She left the gym doors, heading to the right and figuring if he went to go get water anywhere, he would most likely have gone towards the locker rooms. She walked through the deserted hallway of the school, only a little creeped out by the dimmed lights and her slippered footsteps slightly echoing through the hall.

Her instinct had been right. As she neared the locker rooms, she noticed Lucas' tall form standing in front of the trophy case, staring at it, his arms crossed in front of his chest. It never ceased to amuse her that he had actually worn the cowboy hat pajama pants she'd gotten him as a joke gift to the senior sleepover.

She traipsed along the hallway, sidling up next to him with a raised brow.

"Whatcha doin' there, Huckleberry?"

His gaze remained on the trophies in the case, and Maya glanced at it, wondering just how many of those trophies Lucas happened to have been a contributor in receiving.

"Just reminiscing." He finally replied, glancing down at her momentarily with a smile. "It's hard to believe it's already been four years at this school. We're graduating in five months. Going to college. Starting out our new lives…"

"Hey, chill." Maya frowned. "Don't be such a downer, Ranger Rick. We still have prom and senior spring break in Cancun, and don't forget we're spending part of our summer at PCB."

"I know…" he said, looking back at the trophy case and rubbing his biceps to warm them up. "It's just weird and kind of bittersweet to think that we're not all going to be together anymore after all these years."

"It's a part of growing up, I guess." Maya shrugged, keeping her gaze pointedly off of his arms and picking at the frayed bottom of her plaid pajama shorts. "It has to end eventually. You just have to look past the bitter part and focus on the sweet."

It was vastly different from how Maya used to think years ago, but experiences and people had changed her. She had high hopes for the future. She had high hopes for good to happen. For success in her life. For success in all her friends' lives.

"Are you gonna miss this?" Lucas asked. "Miss our friends?"

She stared at Lucas' name on the gold encrusted plaque with the roster of their baseball team that had won nationals two years ago.

None of their main group of friends, surprisingly, were going to be together in any colleges. Hell, none of them were even going to be in the same state. Riley was headed to Yale, Charlie to Notre Dame, Farkle to Harvard, while Maya was going to NYU, and Lucas was going to Rice. Zay decided to take a gap year to go on an 'Eat, Pray, Love' type excursion around different parts of the world and figure out what he wanted to do with his life. And even Billy and Missy—their school's power couple—were going to different schools with Billy heading to Berkeley and Missy going to Georgetown. It was strange how they were all splitting up, going separate ways to find their own paths away from each other.

It was kind of a lonely feeling.

"Yeah, without a doubt." Maya replied softly, picking at a hangnail on her thumb, "I'm going to miss being able to just pop by people's windows and drag them out at random times for illegal firework shooting in the park."

Lucas chuckled. "Yeah. And calling everyone up for 4 AM ice cream runs for no reason other than 'you were lonely'."

"And the annual spring field day competition where every year, I always end up losing because my partner is too tall." Maya said, giving him a pointed glare.

"In my defense, I wasn't the genius who thought it would be a good idea to pair me up with you, Shortstack."

"You're just a giant."

"My height is just fine." He said playfully, his lips pulling up in a smirk as he turned to face her. "You're the one who's too short."

Maya rolled her eyes, only slightly irritated (but mostly amused) that even through all these years of friendship with Lucas, she had never once managed to throw him off his game. Never once was able to catch him off guard and get ahead in this thing that they did. If anything—though she would never admit it—Lucas was ahead of her.

But then again, the game had stopped being so much of a game as the years went by.

It just became them. A part of who they were. A part of what made their relationship work.

And if she was going to be perfectly honest, that's what she would miss the most. Her endless bantering and chatting with Lucas. His comforting words and touch when they would hang out, just the two of them, cuddled up with each other and complaining about life. The way Lucas just got her and knew when she was okay and when she was not.

She would miss Lucas' steady, calming presence in the wild, bustling city, always there for her and always willing to participate in whatever crazy schemes she would plan next. She would miss how he went out of his way to make sure she was happy.

"I'm gonna miss you." Maya finally said in reply, turning to face him completely.

"Maya…"

The expression in his eyes was a little hooded as he took a step closer to her, reaching out and taking her hands in his.

"Yeah?"

"Do you ever feel like…" he hesitated, frowning a bit before starting again, "I mean, do you ever wish that things could have been different?"

She couldn't deny that her pulse was racing a bit. Under normal circumstances, she wouldn't find the question to be that strange, but his gaze was a little too heavy to be just a simple question. And she couldn't help but feel like a 'between us' was the actual end to his question.

And while she had used to wish that they could be something more several times throughout high school, she did relish the strong friendship they built outside of a romance. The firm foundation they had. She was glad they became better friends. She was glad they didn't become a couple before they were ready and burn out too fast, only to be awkward and regretful of what they lost for years to come.

"I…" She chewed on her lower lip, holding Lucas' gaze. "It depends on what would be different. Do you have regrets, Lucas?"

His gaze softened as he took another step forward, a small smile on his lips as he leaned down.

"Maybe one."

Maya became acutely aware of how close they were to each other and how what little distance existing between them slowly dissipated.

"And what's that?" Maya asked calmly, her heart thrumming wildly in anticipation.

"That I should have done this years ago."

He stepped closer to her, gently pressing his lips to hers. Butterflies erupted in Maya's stomach, sparks racing down her back from the feel of his lips on hers. It was a sweet and gentle kiss, though too chaste, and he pulled away before Maya had a chance to reciprocate.

"You kissed me…" Maya said in surprise, blinking up at him and feeling a blush rise to her face.

"I missed so many chances, so many times." Lucas said, "No more."

"Do it again…"

Lucas smiled deviously, a tiny smirk on his face as he leaned down again. Right before his lips touched hers, he softly whispered 'ha hurr', his eyes dancing warmly.

And he closed the gap between them, an arm sliding around her lower back, holding her gingerly to him. Maya's eyes fluttered shut as she rose to her tip toes, one hand on his shoulder, the other threading itself into his hair. He cradled her neck as he tilted his head and deepened the kiss. Maya let out a soft moan, and he smiled slightly against her mouth, pulling her flush against him.

His kiss burned her. Made her feel like flames were coursing through her veins.

She loved it.

And though she knew they had lost so many years dancing around each other and now their time in school together would be over soon, it didn't feel like an end at all.

It felt like the start of a new chapter in their lives.

* * *

Zay pumped a fist in the air, prying his gaze away from his two friends kissing a little ways down the hall. It was about time those two knuckleheads stopped being in denial and got together. He turned from spying on the two, facing the dozens and dozens of seniors standing behind him with baited breath and wide eyes.

"Told y'all they would get together tonight! That'll be ten bucks from you all, please."

There was a resounding sound of annoyed groans as people forked over their cash to Zay.


	48. Observation

**A/N: Ahahaha I'm going through a slight withdrawal... I need Lucaya... Must... not... watch... episodes... Also, I know something in this oneshot will seem weird, but yes, people _do_ go skiing during the early summer (at least, they do where I'm from I guess).  
**

 **Enjoy! Thank you for the reviews everyone! I really appreciate the kind words and I'm glad you guys are enjoying the oneshots! :)  
**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own GMW.**

* * *

 **Title: Observation  
Pairings&Characters: Josh, Lucas, Maya, Lucas/OC, Joshaya (false ploy), Lucaya (observed)** **  
Genre:** **Friendship, Humor, Fluff, Wangst, damn idk..., AU  
Rating: Low T/K+ for** ** **Keeping An Eye On Two Stubborn People  
** Summary: Josh is convinced that Lucas and Maya are in denial.  
**

 **Direct continuation of Speculation. (Part 2/3 of Josh noticing Lucaya chemistry and interaction)  
**

 **Request by notasbigajerkasicould'vebeen, wawawawa12, crookedcheshire(juiceboxxes) for more Josh observation of Lucaya chemistry. Thank you for your patience with me! And thanks for the request! :D  
**

 **Request by Isazu for Maya getting boiling jealous over Lucas. It's not quite boiling jealousy, but she definitely is jealous. Thank you for your request, love! :3  
**

* * *

Josh was kind of annoyed.

He knew he didn't have romantic feelings for Maya. She was the best friend of his niece; in essence, something like a little sister and despite all her attempts for him to see her as anything else, he knew it would never happen.

But he couldn't lie. It was a little weird not having Maya's infatuation every time he walked through the door. He was by no means interested in her, but he liked being liked. It was just a part of human nature.

So he did kind of miss all her bright goofy smiles and silly little goofball antics to try to get him to notice her.

It started out as little things like she would stop trying to casually touch him. Then her hugs when he walked in the door slowly dissipated. And then her eyes lost their extreme sparkle of excitement. And then it was just casual waves. And before he knew it, she would be too preoccupied to notice when he entered the apartment, and when he did, she barely acknowledged it or just jutted her chin in greeting.

But Josh wasn't clueless or dense. He could see as plain as day _why_ she slowly started changing her behaviour towards him.

It had a little something to do with Lucas. And the brand new girlfriend he got.

And _that_ was why Josh was annoyed.

~.~.~

Josh was spending his summer in New York City because of a summer class he was taking at NYU, and as expected, he stayed with his brother. And coincidentally, he ended up hanging out pretty often with Riley and her friends.

So he was there when Lucas got a girlfriend at the end of their junior year of high school.

Samantha Morley was nice. Pretty. A smart and sensible girl. The kind you could easily bring home to your parents who would bake muffins and even remember to bring some treats for the pets. Josh figured Lucas scored in terms of a girlfriend. Lucas _could_ do a lot worse, seeing as how everyone and their grandmother was basically in love with him.

(Josh figured it was the biceps. Girls couldn't seem to get enough of his biceps).

So Josh was rather surprised when Maya's behaviour subtly changed.

Lucas brought Samantha with them to the summer fair, so they could get to know her. Josh wasn't sure if he was right or not, but he was positive that Maya was pissed off. She all but forced Josh to go on all rides and play all the games with her, but he noticed that she only ever wanted to go somewhere where Lucas was headed with his girlfriend.

Not only that, but Maya would purposely hug Josh all the time and hold his hand and she would laugh unbelievably hard and loudly whenever he would say anything, even if it wasn't even funny. He told her at some point that he was going to hurl after she'd made him ride the spinny cup thing multiple times, and she had cracked up so hard, people around their area had turned to them in confusion and intrigue at what could possibly have been so funny for her to laugh that hard.

Josh just thought the whole façade was weird and wondered if Maya was starting to do the whole obsession thing with him again until he glanced over at Lucas and noticed the baseball player was staring at the two of them. Lucas' eyes briefly met his, and then Lucas blinked and looked away quickly, responding to something Samantha had said.

When Josh looked at Maya, she looked triumphant and then proclaimed loudly to Josh (and in Lucas' direction) that she wanted to ride the Ferris wheel with Josh so she could fulfill her fantasy of getting kissed at the top. Josh had told her quietly that he wasn't going to kiss her and she shrugged, unaffected by his rejection.

But a quick look at Lucas' somewhat clenched jaw and narrowed eyes told Josh that Josh hadn't been the target of that comment. And that said comment had its desired effects.

At the end of the night, Josh offered to walk Maya home, but she refused, wanting to walk on her own. And then Lucas had asked if she wanted a ride, saying that he could drop her off after Samantha's.

"No thanks." Maya all but spat. "I wouldn't want to intrude on your _couple_ time."

In the end, Josh had walked her home anyway, but Maya sulked the whole way, didn't say a word, and she barely said goodnight to him before slamming her apartment door in his face.

And Josh knew Maya was sour about Lucas.

So Josh observed.

~.~.~

Samantha became something of a tagalong member for most of the summer, due in part to the fact that she was dating Lucas. She fit in with the group well enough—she was like a less hyper version of Riley with the sweetness of Farkle and the integrity of Lucas—but it became obvious to Josh that Maya was not particularly fond of the girl.

Josh had first assumed her irritation was because she hadn't gotten into that summer program out of the country, but as days passed, it became apparent to him that she was frustrated only when Lucas or Samantha were around.

And then he realized it was really only _Samantha_ who Maya was annoyed with.

That afternoon, he, Cory, and Shawn had been putting the final touches on the trip to a ski resort their huge group would be going on when Maya had barged in, laughing with Lucas.

"C'mon Huckleberry! Give it back."

"Hmm… I don't know if I want to."

He was holding her cellphone over his head and being a full head and then some taller than Maya, Josh could already see that she wasn't going to be getting that phone anytime soon.

"I'm not afraid to climb you like a tree, you know?"

"Go right ahead."

"You're a pain in the ass!"

It had been a typical interaction between the two of them, playful, goofy, with just enough sass and sarcasm to keep one entertained but not annoyed.

And then Shawn spoke to Lucas.

"Everything is all set for our trip, but we have an extra seat. Why don't you bring along your girlfriend, Lucas?"

It was only by chance that Josh happened to glance at Maya instead of Lucas after the statement.

Because in a split second, he saw her stiffen. Saw her face darken in annoyance when Lucas agreed. Saw her lips turn down in a frown. And then she walked away from Lucas, sitting with Farkle on the couch.

She was oddly quiet for the rest of the afternoon.

And when Josh and the rest of them decided to go out for ice cream, she decided to just go home.

He thought it was strange.

And even stranger was, when as she left, she and Lucas glanced at each other briefly before she snapped her gaze away and stormed out the door.

~.~.~

Josh knew Maya was jealous.

He wondered if she herself knew.

Because he could see it on her face plain as day. And he was pretty sure everyone else could too.

After all, Maya tended to have a peeved look on her face whenever Lucas and Samantha were together.

When they were taking a stroll through the snow and Samantha and Lucas held hands. When at the restaurant, Lucas and Samantha were talking really closely. When at the cabin they shared little kisses.

But above all, Josh knew Maya was jealous because she clung to Josh like nobody's business. Anytime they paired up for anything, Josh was guaranteed a partner because Maya stuck to him like glue.

And Lucas definitely noticed.

Late one night, Josh had walked downstairs to grab some water because he was parched, and he had heard some hushed voices in the hallway.

When he peeked around the corner, he saw Lucas and Maya arguing, their voices hissing in that way one wanted to be heard, but stay quiet at the same time.

"Can you tone it down with the sarcastic responses to everything? You're making Samantha feel uncomfortable."

"I'm sarcastic. It's what I do." Maya said, crossing her arms in front of her chest, "It's not me who needs to tone it down. Maybe your little girlfriend should toughen up."

"What's gotten into you? Every time I try to talk to you, you bite my head off. And every time I see you, you're always all over…"

Lucas tapered off with a frown, but Maya grinned sardonically, picking up on what he had been a few seconds from saying.

"So that's what this confrontation is really about. You don't care about me being snarky to Samantha. You're just jealous of all the time I'm spending with Josh."

"No. I'm not jealous."

"Whatever Huckleberry."

"You're the one who's jealous. I know what you're doing. You're using Josh to try to make _me_ jealous."

"I'm not."

"Yes you are. Admit it."

"I don't have to admit anything."

Josh knew they were supposed to be mad at each other, but he could have sworn, through that unbelievably thick tension between them, they were having eye sex. It was almost crazy how any second it looked like they were going to make out. It made him unbelievably uncomfortable. They weren't saying a word, yet it was like Josh was watching them tear each other's clothes off and screw each other.

But then they turned away from each other with scoffs and rolls of eyes and stormed back to their rooms.

~.~.~

By the fourth day of the trip, it became obvious to most everyone that Lucas and Maya were having "relationship" issues. And it was annoying everyone. And the funniest part to Josh was the fact that they weren't even a real couple, yet it seemed like they were bickering like one. Josh felt a little bad for Samantha, who had no idea what was going on between the two of them. Josh had always suspected there was something between them though. Turned out he was right. But this whole fighting thing was just sad, and it was putting a real damper on everyone's summer time excursion.

So Josh devised a plan to get them to cool it a bit with the snippy comments and caustic jabs during an evening where a blizzard kept them lodged in the cabin. Doubles trivia with another cabin next door.

(Josh did have other ulterior motives though. They had a daughter his own age who was pretty damn cute).

And knowing how competitive the two were, everyone forced them to be on the same team, because no one sure as hell wanted to be on a team with them. Not only did they get too intense, but being on teams against each other would only make it turn out into a full on war.

And it proved fruitful, because it didn't take long for Lucas and Maya to turn into a dynamic duo, kicking butt in the trivia and sharing high fives and acting like good old pals once again.

In fact, they kicked so much butt that about an hour later, everyone left for their own personal activities, tired of losing to the two, and it was only Josh, Maya and Lucas left. (The girl turned out to have had a boyfriend, so nothing had happened there unfortunately). But Josh was just about dead asleep on his feet and decided he needed some shut eye if he didn't want to fall asleep skiing the next day.

"Alright kiddies. You two have fun." Josh said as he left the lounge.

He didn't know what compelled him to turn around and glance at them before he left, but he did.

"I bet I could so beat you at this one on one." Maya snarked, "Let's go. You and me."

"Then we're upping the stakes." Lucas said, a serious look on his face, "If I win, you have to tell me the truth."

"The truth?"

"What's going on with us, Maya?"

Maya clammed up, staring at Lucas wide-eyed, a faint blush painting her cheeks rosy red.

They sat there in front of the fireplace for a long time, just staring at each other and not saying anything. Josh stood there for a moment, absolutely confused, wondering what they were conveying with their gazes.

But he knew with that question, something between them had indubitably shifted.

~.~.~

Josh wasn't sure what had been said between them or how the rest of their evening went because eventually he'd grown tired of the silence and left, but Maya was noticeably nicer to Samantha, giving her tips on how to ski and promising to show her some of her sketches.

Maya kept away from Lucas, though, and Josh could tell she wasn't cheerful or very happy. She kept to herself, not really participating in some of the tomfoolery and antics and sometimes just staring off into space contemplatively. She didn't even try to seek out Josh, and whenever Lucas wasn't looking, Maya would stare at him forlornly.

What she didn't know was that whenever she wasn't looking, Lucas would look at her the same way too.

Josh thought it was ridiculous. They obviously both liked each other.

And then Maya actually got injured on the slope. Samantha had taken a nasty tumble and lost control of her skis and Maya had taken it upon herself to help Samantha make a cleaner stop, at the cost of running into a rock herself and suffering a pretty nasty compound fracture on her lower leg and getting a concussion.

And Lucas flipped a shit.

Josh could honestly say he had never seen the usually calm and controlled Lucas act so out of control and frightened and worried and anxious in his life. And judging by everyone else's shocked reactions to his behaviour, they'd never seen him that way either.

Everything was okay though. Maya was taken to a hospital, had a successful surgery to realign her bone and after a couple days in a recovery room, was casted, given crutches and allowed to come back to the lodge to rest. She was hopped up on painkillers and thinking she was a dog, but at least she was comfortable.

(Josh would not lie. It was the most hilarious thing ever to see Maya yipping and barking like a dog. Lucas took a video and Josh knew she would never live it down).

Josh had come up with the idea that one person stay with her every hour or two to keep her company since she couldn't ski the rest of the trip and was ordered bedrest, but before anyone else could hop aboard that plan, Lucas had volunteered to stay the whole time with loopy Maya and watch over her.

And then Lucas had picked Maya up bridal style to take her to her room, against her protests.

"Put me down! I can walk, Ranger Rick!"

"On what leg, Shortstack?" he snorted.

Maya blushed and buried her face in Lucas' jacket when Zay and Katy kept teasing her that she was like a young bride.

Josh had forgotten all about the ordeal as he had left to go back to flirting with the coffee shop cutie, but when he came back to the lodge in the evening and everyone was chilling in front of the fireplace doing their own thing, he noticed Lucas wasn't there. He headed to Maya and Riley's shared room to check on Maya.

The door was somewhat open, and he peered in. Lucas and Maya were lying on top of the covers, facing each other and just talking. He knew it wasn't right to eavesdrop, but Josh wanted to know what it was that they were talking about for Lucas to look so affectionate and Maya to look so bashful.

"Yeah, you _did_ lose it, Lucas… You were freaking out so badly, I forgot _I_ was the one who had gotten hurt."

"You got hurt, Maya. Of course I was freaking out. You were in a lot of pain. I was terrified for you. I'm still terrified now."

"I'm okay…" She muttered, but it didn't take a genius to see that her face was definitely red even in the limited light.

And then Lucas took her hand, lacing their fingers together. Maya didn't pull her hand away.

"…Are _we_ okay?" he asked simply, his gaze trained on Maya's.

And then Josh knew he was really overstepping boundaries. He felt embarrassed to be watching them the way he had. This was a really private conversation, and it wasn't his business to know Maya's response.

So he left.

Late that evening while the teens were reclining in the hot tub (sans Lucas and Maya), Samantha asked Josh to tell her honestly if there was something going on between Lucas and Maya. She was tired of all the others skirting around the question and giving her non-answers that only served to make her suspicions grow. He had wanted to lie for a second and tell her there wasn't, but she would notice eventually. And it would hurt more the longer it was put off.

"Yes."

~.~.~

A week after their return from the ski trip, Lucas and Samantha broke up.

Josh didn't know the details behind it, but he deduced it had been amicable and mutual, because when he ran into Samantha one random afternoon a few weeks later, she asked about Maya with a wide grin on her face, wondering if her leg was healing up nicely.

And then she asked if Maya was dating anyone.

It was an altogether strange and random question, but one that Josh understood perfectly. She was wondering about the Lucas and Maya situation.

Which honestly, nothing was going on there.

Maya was keeping her distance from Lucas. At first, Josh had thought it was because she was trying to be respectful about his breakup and give him some time, but then he noticed that even for simple things like pickup games of softball at the community center or baseball games at the stadium—simple things even _friends_ did together—Maya was avoiding Lucas like the plague.

And Lucas wasn't particularly attempting anything either. He wasn't keeping his distance, but he sure as hell wasn't making any efforts to try to go after Maya.

But the too long stares and wistful looks and gazes never stopped. They got worse. To the point where any time Josh walked into a room the two of them were in, he was almost knocked to his feet by the sheer amount of unresolved sexual tension between them.

And then it came to Josh why nothing was happening despite them both being single and all the hints their friends kept dropping that they should make a move.

It was during the Fourth of July celebration, watching the fireworks on the roof with everyone, that Josh realized it. Maya had been standing near the edge, gripping the railing and watching the fireworks wide eyed with a dazed (and possibly tipsy?) smile on her face. And then Zay and Farkle had pushed a protesting Lucas over to her. It was awkward between them for a moment as Josh watched their lips moving as they spoke, but then Maya laughed at something Lucas said and playfully punched his arm.

Josh hadn't thought much of it and went back to watching the fireworks.

After they'd ended, the afterhours partying began with most of the adults (and some of the teens, he suspected) getting wasted off of their butts. Josh had been chugging a beer with Shawn, getting into the spirit of the holiday when he glanced over to where Lucas and Maya had been. Despite the fact that the fireworks had long ended, they were still talking by the railing.

But they weren't side by side anymore.

Lucas was holding Maya, his arms wrapped around her waist. Her back was resting against his chest as he set his chin on her head. They were holding hands as they conversed, and once again, Josh had to look away in embarrassment, feeling like he was intruding on a private moment.

But regardless, nothing else happened between them that night and nothing advanced in their relationship. They were stuck in a limbo, and Josh found himself frustrated and restless over it all. And it wasn't even his business!

And so, Josh became convinced that the two of them were in denial, and that if no one stepped up to push them together, they would never make a move.


	49. Oh My

**A/N: Ahaha sorry about the super late update! I went out last night to commemorate the first exam of the term being finished and got back super late xD Then I conked out and forgot to update! So I'm updating now and then I promise I'll respond to all PMs after this!  
**

 **Hi** **Luvemhorses1!** **I can't write a "sequel" per say, love :3 But I can certainly write the story from Lucas' perspective in the future if you'd like :)  
**

 **Enjoy! Thank you for all the lovely reviews! It honestly makes me so happy to receive the wonderful comments you guys make! It seriously helps me after long, annoying days of school and part-time! :)  
**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own GMW.**

* * *

 **Title: Oh My  
Pairings&Characters: Topanga, Lucaya** **  
Genre:** **Angst,** **Romance, Humor, AU  
Rating: T for Truce... urgh...** ** **  
**Summary: This was not the way Topanga intended to spend her day off.  
**

 **Same universe as Here We Go Again. (Order: Missy, Riley, Farkle, Topanga, Auggie, Shawn, Lucas, Zay)  
**

 **Request by Guest, notasbigajerkasicould'vebeen, crookedcheshire(juiceboxxes) for Topanga POV of Lucaya fight. Thanks for the request! :D  
**

 **Request by LUCAYAlover for Lucaya fight. Thank you for the request! :)**

 **Inspired by my good old chemistry prof Mme. Justine who was always frustrated with my lack of efforts in the class back then and put up with my daydreaming xD  
**

* * *

"Look, I gave him back the necklace, so can you stop badgering me about it?!"

"Why did you accept it in the first place?!"

And there they went again.

Topanga groaned, glancing up from the case file in front of her at the two teens on the couch. This was the third time they'd gotten snippy with each other in the past hour, but now it seemed they were legitimately mad. And it didn't seem like this argument was going to fix itself quickly anytime soon. Lucas' arm wasn't around Maya anymore and Maya was emphatically gesturing her hands in that way that Topanga recognized as the girl's severe irritation.

She wasn't sure what had set them off or why after a good twenty minutes of watching the TV movie and cuddling they were suddenly at each other's throats. But one thing she knew for sure was that they were clearly not happy with each other.

And she had to suffer and listen to their drivel.

"For the last damn time, he was being friendly! We're _friends_! That's what _friends_ do, okay?"

"Guy friends don't buy their platonic girl friends jewelry!"

"He knew I've wanted that necklace since freshman year! He was being considerate!"

"You still shouldn't have taken it! You _have_ a boyfriend, you know?"

"Would you shut the hell up? I already gave it back to him! Why are you still pissed about this?!"

Topanga set her pen down on the kitchen table, rubbing her temple and glaring at the two of them. When was Riley going to come back from dropping Auggie off at Dewey's already so the three of them could leave and go to that Shakespeare in the Park thing that Farkle had been spazzing about for the past week or so? She just wanted them out of the apartment.

It was Saturday afternoon, and Topanga just wanted to get her work out of the way so she could relax. Because this was _frustrating_. It was her day off from work to finally catch up on some paperwork and reread some of the documentation of various cases and for some reason, the two love birds were in her home fighting. And despite her requests for them to quiet down earlier, they wouldn't.

She had even threatened to spray them with the little hose from the sink but they had ignored her.

Topanga just didn't understand how all their friends put up with them. From what Topanga had heard through Riley's excited babbling every time her OTP had another moment (whatever the hell that meant), they were usually either all over each other or at each other's throats. Quite frankly, Topanga did not understand why Riley found it so charming. Then again, Topanga had recently been having a lot of trouble understanding a lot of Riley's actions regarding her friends. She chalked it up to puberty.

"I'm saying it's not appropriate and you know I'm right! Anyone else with a girlfriend would agree!"

"And I'm saying it's not a big deal!"

"You know, I'm starting to think that the only reason you wanted to keep it in the first place is because you wanted to know what it felt like being treated as if you were Josh's girlfriend!"

"So maybe I did, okay?! Maybe I did want to see what it felt like to be Josh's girlfriend for a second! Can you blame me? It's not like I can forget about him that easily! He was my first love!"

Topanga glanced up with a wince as Lucas fell silent, not having expected those words from Maya. That wasn't the kind of thing a girlfriend should say to her significant other. No doubt it would hurt Lucas.

And as she expected, his expression looked pained. Damaged. Like he'd been kicked in the nuts.

"If you can't forget about him… Then maybe we should forget about us."

Maya's breath hitched, and Topanga saw her stiffen uncomfortably.

"…Lucas. I don't want that."

Topanga couldn't see Maya's expression, but her voice wavered the slightest bit with those words and she knew Maya must have been feeling some sort of fright and remorse. It was a seriously intense confrontation, and Topanga was finding herself getting distracted from her work because of the teen drama unfolding right before her eyes. She was trying to get her work done, but no matter what she did, her attention kept getting pulled by the two of them.

"Then what do you want, Maya?"

There was a long pause and suddenly, Topanga felt awkward being around them. As much as this was an intriguing turn of events, she knew they needed their privacy to sort out this messed up fight.

She sighed in frustration, grabbing her sweatshirt and tossing it on as she walked past the two teens gazing at each other and headed to the door.

"You know what. Let me give you two some privacy…" she muttered as she left the apartment and closed the door behind her.

She didn't even think they heard her, but it didn't matter. She figured if she headed downstairs and grabbed the mail, hopefully by the time she returned, they would have settled the argument by then.

As she opened their box and pulled the mail from it, old Mrs. Marks from next door walked slowly out of the elevator and approached her.

"Topanga, how are you this fine Saturday afternoon?"

"Great, thank you." Topanga greeted her elderly neighbour jovially, despite her mood being a bit sour from the angsty teenagers in her apartment. "How about yourself, Mrs. Marks?"

"I'm doing excellent, but my sleep schedule has been recently disturbed." The old lady wrung her hands together. "I understand your son is growing up, but his room is right beside mine, and I can very frequently hear him playing his video games at night. He's not very quiet."

Topanga smiled. "I apologize for that, Mrs. Marks. I'll make sure to put a stop to the loud disturbances."

"Thank you kindly. You're a dear."

She hobbled on her way out of the apartment building, and Topanga closed her mailbox and headed back to her home. It hadn't been _too_ long since she left Lucas and Maya in the apartment, but she figured they'd had ample time to discuss their issues by this point.

Besides.

Those filed court cases weren't going to read themselves. She had to get a move on if she wanted to finish up her work before Cory got home. She and Cory would have the apartment to themselves since Auggie was going to sleepover at Dewey's and Riley was going to a concert with her friends in the evening after the play, and Topanga definitely would need a destresser after the stress of this afternoon.

She jogged up the stairs, mentally preparing herself to kick the two out if they were still arguing by that point. She was tolerant up to a point, but she was a little fed up with the disruptions to her peaceful Saturday afternoon. Either they would listen to her and get their act together, or they would have to find a different place to fight.

Topanga opened her apartment door, ready to tell them off.

And her brows rose high on her forehead.

She hadn't really formed a thought of what she expected when she entered the room, but one thing she did know was that she had not expected _this_.

Lucas on top of Maya on the couch, his hands crawling up underneath her shirt as Maya slowly slid her leg along his, her fingers threaded through his hair. Lips locked and tongues dancing and hands roaming and limbs entwined and bodies fully pressed against each other.

Topanga was appalled. She'd had her fair share of make outs (and more) with Cory, but seeing the eighteen year olds was quite the weird experience. She was so thrown off guard, completely mindboggled by what she was seeing. Topanga certainly didn't consider herself old or a prude, but the intensity of their entanglement was making her blush.

Were teens always like that when they got intimate now these days? If so, she could kind of understand Cory's fright about Riley ever getting a boyfriend.

And then Maya let out a breathy moan as one of Lucas' hands dipped under the waistband of her pants.

And Topanga promptly shut the door.

It was a damn good thing Cory was at a baseball game with Josh until later. She was sure if he came home and saw that spectacle, it wouldn't be pretty.

She'd take a long walk. Yeah. That's what she would do. She'd take a long walk to clear her mind of the image her eyes had just been assaulted with.

She'd take a long walk right to the furniture store. She would buy a brand new, unsoiled couch.

And then when she got back?

She would burn the old one.


	50. Recipe For Disaster

**A/N: PLEASE READ ALL OF THIS: Hey guys! I know this might be somewhat irrelevant, but I have a small request. Please be careful about putting spoilers for unaired episodes in your reviews! While I don't totally mind spoilers (and actually live off of them at the moment ahaha) someone who doesn't want to see them and possibly reads the review page might stumble upon it and get spoiled. That being said, just keep in mind to be careful about putting spoilers or start that spoiler section in your review with a big all caps "SPOILER ALERT" lol or I'll have to delete your comment :) K thanks loves! :3**

 **On another note: Starting this Friday, I will begin another Update A Day Marathon because I have a crazy amount of requests that need to be written. This one will most likely run a month or so which is going to be difficult, but lol it needs to be done because my page of requests has gotten too damn long!**

 **(And just reminding everyone that I see ALL requests and I WILL get to all of them, even if it's a slow process :) So don't get disconcerted if it doesn't come up yet. It will DEFINITELY be written eventually. I appreciate and love all your requests, and I promise I take them all into consideration. I'm still catching up to ones from July, so if you recently requested something, it might be a little while, but hopefully, with my UAD Marathon, I can get to them faster!)**

 **Enjoy! Thank you for your patience and all your support everyone! You all are the greatest, and I honestly don't deserve such praise! It means so much to me that you all are reading my stories and giving them a chance. Thank you so so much! :)  
**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own GMW.**

* * *

 **Title: Recipe For Disaster  
Pairings&Characters: Lucas, Maya, Lucaya (one-sided obliviousness)** **  
Genre: Friendship,** **Romance, Humor, Wangst, AU  
Rating: T for ******Three Sheets To The Wind Maya  
** Summary: Drunk Maya. Exasperated Lucas. This can't be good... Can it?  
**

 **Request by Mizz Degrassi for Maya being drunk af and Lucas taking care of her! I know you requested this probably in May, but it slipped my mind! I am so so so sorry for taking so long to write it! Thanks for being patient with me love :)**

* * *

Sighing in exasperation, Lucas picked his remote back up and changed the channel once again. This was the third time he'd had to recommence his channel hopping, and it was frustrating him to no end.

It wasn't lost on Lucas that he was sitting in his dorm room on a Friday at 3 AM, pining over the girl who'd had him wrapped around her finger for almost eight years and didn't even know it. He should have been out getting shit-faced with Farkle, Billy, and Zay and enjoying his last years as an irresponsible college kid. But the only thing he could think about was Maya being completely drunk groping guys on the dance floor. _Getting_ groped by guys on the dance floor. Leading them back to her room and tugging off their belts with that mischievous twinkle in her eyes that could send grown men to cold showers for months.

He forced down the thought that Maya could have easily gone home with some guy she met just that night. Every time she went out, he hoped so badly that she wouldn't make an exception to her No Hookups rule that night. He knew casual hookups weren't her thing, despite what most people would assume based on her general nonchalance about life. But he was also aware of just how attractive Maya was. With her perfect, naturally tousled and wavy coils, messy and full of volume (always looking like she just got done rolling around in the sheets), her petite but curvy figure, and her shrewd, smoldering blue eyes, he was _very_ aware of how many guys desired her. He'd been approached by a couple of them on his floor, asking if Maya was attached. With grit teeth, he would always answer in the negative, though he had been tempted to lie, if only to keep them away.

It wasn't but three hours ago that Maya had come to his room asking if her outfit was okay. She was going out with some of her friends and wanted to make sure she was "Tastefully Trashy" as she had put it. Not trashy enough to be considered easy, but not conservative enough that no guys would approach her. Lucas could do nothing but nod, stupefied, and pretend like he hadn't been ogling the outrageous amount of skin she had decided to show that night. Though he definitely knew, judging by the way she kept swishing her hips and stooping, that she knew he had been checking her out.

(For the record, Lucas deserved a reward for keeping his cool through it all).

Sighing, he shut the TV off and ran his hands through his hair in frustration. Day in and day out, his mind was plagued with thoughts of Maya. And it was killing him.

Belatedly, he remembered Farkle's ominous and morbid warnings throughout high school that Maya would eventually get under his skin like a tick. And that once she did, he had to do everything in his power _not_ to fall for her. Otherwise he would be miserable. Unfortunately, Lucas hadn't taken heed of any of the warnings or signs as they became closer friends.

And now here he was, beating himself up for being so taken by a girl who had little to no interest in him whatsoever.

There was brusque knock on his door then, and Lucas stood up, ambling over to the door, expecting to see Zay or possibly Farkle (or Zay carrying Farkle), wasted off of the couple of shots he took earlier.

What he wasn't expecting was a giggling, loopy Maya hanging off of the arm of a tired looking girl he didn't recognize. She was stumbling around in her red pumps and looking more than three sheets to the wind.

"…Maya?" he asked.

"Lucas!" she shrieked, jumping forward and snuggling against his chest.

Or rather, stumbling uncontrollably forward until he stopped her certain descent to the floor.

"So you are Lucas?" the other girl asked, "Cool. Can you please take her? We've been trying to get her home, but she couldn't remember where she lived. So she gave us your dorm room number."

"She has her dorm on her ID. Where are her keys?" Lucas asked, sliding an arm around Maya's waist to steady her when she swayed really heavily and started laughing raucously.

"No one knows…" the girl said with a shrug and looking impatient, "Look, could you just take her? I have to go drop off this car before 3:30."

"You're leaving me?" Maya whined, turning around with flailing limbs and then grappling with Lucas' shirt to keep her balance.

"Yes. I am." The other girl patted Maya's head softly. "I hope you wake up with a massive hangover, sweetie."

Then she gave Lucas a poignant look clearly telling him to take care of Maya before turning on her heel and heading down the hall. Lucas sighed and shut his door before anyone on his floor came out, wondering what all the commotion was. Last thing he needed were some assholes trying to take advantage of his drunk best friend.

"Maya, how much did you have to drink?"

She turned back around and a sly grin appeared on her face. "Just three."

"Just three what?" he pressed. "Three shots? Three bottles? Three glasses?"

"Shots, duh."

And then Maya's expression sobered, and she slid her hands up his chest and linked her arms around his neck, pushing herself up to her tiptoes so she was closer to his face. Even with her heels, he still stood at a good head taller than her. Goosebumps rose on Lucas' neck, and he swallowed tightly at the heat in her dancing eyes.

And then she belched right in his face, long and loud and absolutely disgusting.

Lucas winced at the sheer amount of alcohol on her breath, and Maya dissolved into boisterous laughter, obviously very amused at herself.

"Definitely more than three…" he muttered, letting her go when she tugged on his arm.

"My feet hurt Lucas!" She whined, plopping down onto his bed and kicking her heeled feet up, "Take them off for me? Please?"

He sighed and complied with her request, pulling them off more slowly when his tugging made her grimace in pain. Her feet looked pinched and red, and he could clearly see the outline of the shoes lingering on her skin after he removed them.

"Why did you wear such uncomfortable shoes?"

"I wanted to look cute…" she pouted, acting uncharacteristically shy, "Guys don't think I'm cute. Riley always looks cute, but not me…"

"That's not true." Lucas said.

 _"You_ don't think I'm cute."

"That's not true Maya." He repeated absentmindedly, setting her shoes on the ground against his wall.

"So you admit it then?" she said, a mischievous smile quickly replacing her false melancholy, "You think I'm cute?"

He straightened, a little flustered. "What? I never said that."

"So then I'm not cute?"

"No, that's not what I said either."

"Then you do think I'm cute." She pressed, her lips curling into a smug smile. "Either you do or you don't Sundance. Which one is it?"

He opened his mouth to answer. But then closed it again, knowing no matter what he said, Maya had set up a sort of trap. Luckily, he was saved from responding when Maya bounced off his bed and dropped to the ground, looking under his bed. She dug around a little bit before frowning and unsteadily rising to her feet. Using the wall for support, she slowly dragged her feet over to his closet. Lucas stared at her in confusion, completely unable to figure out what she was even doing.

"Ah ha!" Maya shouted, yanking open his closet door. She rummaged around, moving some of his clothes and peering inside in confusion. "Where is she?"

"Who?" he asked, completely bewildered and wondering if he had missed something she said.

"You know? The girl you're with right now. You had to hide her because I came in, right?" Maya teetered on her feet, laughing hysterically for a second when she almost lost her balance.

"I wasn't with a girl."

"So we're alone." Maya murmured, spinning around and giving him a sultry look, "Which means no one to watch you doing dirty things to me."

He choked on his spit, coughing into his elbow for a good few seconds while he tried to come to terms with what she had just said. What the hell?

He couldn't do this.

"Maya, you need to go to sleep." Lucas said with a frown.

"But the party just started!" She whined, taking a wobbly step forward and promptly tripping on her feet.

Lucas rushed over and barely caught her around the waist, letting out a sigh of relief when she didn't crash to the ground, though she was laughing really hard. Lucas vaguely wondered if his next door neighbours could hear everything that was going on in his room. He kept thinking that any second his RA would stop by his room due to a noise complaint.

"Maya…" Lucas said in exasperation, "You're going to give me a damn heart attack."

"Alright, you big baby. I'll go to bed." She pushed against his hold, struggling against the arm he was using to steady her. "But I need you to take off my dress!"

"You can take it off yourself." Lucas said after making sure she was stable on her feet and letting her go.

"You're missing opportunities, Hopalong~" Maya singsonged, tugging on the pull tab of the zipper of her party dress.

He said nothing and turned around, quickly facing the opposite direction as he heard her unzip her dress. He tried not to think about what Maya was wearing underneath her dress as he heard clothes ruffling and hitting the floor, and Maya's feet softly padding the ground as she slipped out of it. But it was almost futile. Her dress was pretty short. And he hadn't been able to tell if she was wearing a bra or not.

Had she been wearing a bra?

He swallowed thickly, willing himself to think about something else. _Anything_ else. Like Zay's flat butt. Instead of Maya's round, supple…

Lucas cleared his throat. "You all good?"

"Yeah. It feels so much better without that constricting thing on."

He saw the silver garment that was her dress fly past his head and get caught on his lamp as Maya started to laugh again.

"Last chance, Lucas." She crooned, almost purring. "When will you ever get a chance to see me in lingerie again? I know you want to. You don't have to be a gentleman."

His throat went dry, though he ignored her words. Drunk Maya. She was dangerous in every sense of the word. Even more unpredictable and hyper and more sneaky than her usual self. And definitely more forward.

"Maya, get in bed."

"Will you be joining me?" she asked, that wanton tone still firmly set in place.

He let out a sigh. "No, Maya. You're drunk."

"Hmmm… That's too bad."

But he heard the bed springs squeak as she climbed up on the bed and heard his covers shuffle around as Maya settled herself in place.

"Are you under the covers, Maya?"

"Yes."

Lucas turned back around cautiously and slowly to make sure he could actually see the outline of her legs under his blanket. When he knew it was safe, he faced her completely. Maya was staring blankly at the wall, snuggled under the covers up to her chin, her cheeks slightly flushed.

"I didn't want to party anymore." Maya near whispered without prelude. "I really wanted to go home, Lucas…"

"Then why didn't you go back to you and Riley's room?" he asked playfully, flicking off his main lights and turning on his lamp.

"Because you're my home." She said softly, looking up at him with her beautiful glassy blue-gray eyes. Lucas felt his pulse quicken as he stared at her, wondering if he had just heard her correctly. "I wanted to see you."

"Maya–"

"Lucas… can you cuddle with me?" she asked earnestly, her eyes shining with some emotion he couldn't quite place but knew was making his heart beat erratically in his chest. "Please? I swear I won't try anything. I just… I need someone to hold me."

With a sigh, Lucas pulled up the covers and Maya slid over with a smile as he climbed in next to her. He kept his eyes firmly on the wall behind her head, making sure he didn't accidentally get a glimpse of scantily clad Maya until the comforter was finally settled over them.

She scooted forward until she was nestled in the curve of his body and curled her fingers gently around the fabric of his t-shirt. Lucas rested his arm around her slender back, pulling her closer so she was tucked under his chin. He tried to tell himself it was only because he was helping her since she wanted to cuddle but he knew damn well that he was doing it for his own selfish reasons. He'd always wanted to hold Maya in his arms like this. He'd _dreamed_ of it for years and now that he had the chance, he wasn't going to pass it up.

They remained silent for a while, Maya's slowly deepening tufts of breath blowing against his neck, Lucas fighting not to deeply inhale that scent of vanilla and strawberry that always seemed to linger on her hair and skin. He tried desperately not to think about the fact that Maya was in her underwear right now, completely pressed against him.

"Lucas…" Maya mumbled into his chest, her voice sounding a bit slurred, but whether from her fatigue or her drunken state, Lucas didn't know.

"Yeah?"

He gently stroked her lower back, chuckling to himself when Maya purred, leaning into him and sliding a leg in between his.

"Do you want to know a secret?" she asked quietly, looking up and giving him a breathtaking smile that he couldn't decipher.

"What is it?" Lucas asked, searching her eyes.

Maya blinked up at him blearily, though through her hazy, sleepy gaze, he sensed something warm as she watched him. Then she hid her face, snuggling further into his chest, closing her eyes with a sigh.

"I like someone, Lucas."

Lucas was sure his heart almost stopped. He remained silent, pain slowly gripping his chest as he stared at his wall.

"…Lucas?"

"Yeah?" He asked, trying to keep his heartache from reaching his voice.

"Did you hear me…?"

"Yeah, I heard you."

So that was that, huh? He had missed his chance. And she had slipped through his fingers yet again. His timing could not have been worse.

"I like him… a lot… Lucas."

"That so…" Lucas almost growled, his brows furrowed.

"Do you… want to know… who…?" Her voice was very soft, her words almost too quiet to be deciphered.

"Sure. What's his name?"

"His name is… Ranger… Huckleberry… McBoingBoing…" She mumbled in between deep, even breaths of her near sleep. "Shhh… Don't… tell… him…"

And Lucas froze, his eyebrows slowly lifting in shock as Maya's soft snores filled the air.

Maya liked him?


	51. Feverish Heat

**A/N: Let's kick off UAD Marathon with a bang! ;3 (LOL I know it's technically Saturday, but sorry. I got distracted last night xD I found an old video game of mine and just had to play for old times sakes! One hour turned into seven and I forgot to write :P)  
**

 **Hi Guest! 'Forever' isn't a prequel. I was explaining that the request 'Lucas coming home from war' was written and is the prior chapter to Worlds Apart but that it isn't published in L &W.  
**

 **And hi Guest! I can't write the Maya and Samantha getting hurt scene, but if you would like, I can write a different Maya getting hurt, Lucas flipping a shit one?**

 **On queue:** **Jemmie's request for Maya painting Lucas.  
**

 **Enjoy! Thank you so much everyone for all the sweet words! It means so much! Thank you for being so encouraging and for the congrats on 50 chapters ahahaha xD I couldn't have gotten where I am without you guys, so thank _you_! And after this stressful week, reading these reviews have just made everything better! I love you guys! :)  
**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own GMW.**

* * *

 **Title: Feverish Heat  
Pairings&Characters: Lucas, Maya, Riley, Lucaya, Rucas, Rucaya** **(mentions)  
Genre: Angst, Romance,** **AU  
Rating: VERY High T/Borderline M for ******Madness  
** Summary: He won't let her run from him. Not anymore.  
**

 **Direct continuation of Heat.**

 **Tried to write less explicitly than I usually do lol. Hope it worked out? (The last sentence is referencing something from Heat btw. I know it doesn't make sense in the context of _this_ oneshot on it's own, so I'm just letting you know where it comes from. You'll see.)  
**

* * *

 _"Riley."_

 _"Lucas."_

 _She's sitting a little stiffly, her expression tense, and he can see the unease in her gaze. He runs his hand through his hair, knowing things are about to change for good._

 _"You wanted to know why I needed a break."_

 _"You have feelings for Maya." Riley says._

 _It's a statement, not a question. Her expression is carefully blank and Lucas forces himself to keep a neutral expression. Riley's not emoting anything and for some reason, that makes him even more nervous than Riley being outwardly angry._

 _"It started out as just sexual attraction. Thoughts about her. But now_ _ _…_ "_

 _Still no visible reaction._

 _"How frequent?"_

 _"…Multiple times a day."_

 _Riley looks down at her hands folded in her lap for a second, and Lucas tries to gauge her expression, but Riley has become a master at hiding how she feels when she wants to. Lucas can't help but feel guilty, knowing that he's probably the one who caused Riley to stop wearing her heart on her sleeve._

 _"How long had you been having those thoughts?"_

 _Lucas sighs, scratching the back of his head. "Honestly, they started freshman year, right after first semester ended."_

 _"So basically the entire time we were dating?"_

 _Lucas nods shamefully, noting that there's a small glint in Riley's eyes as she stares at him, though he can't tell if it's some kind of sadness or deep anger._

 _"I felt guilty knowing I kept envisioning her naked or seeing images of her clothes on my bedroom floor, no matter what she was wearing. But I was dating you so I knew I needed a break to clear my thoughts and get myself together."_

 _Riley sighs heavily, her expression somewhat displeased. "Did it work?"_

 _"No. It got worse. To the point where I realized I wanted to be with her. Not just as a bedmate, but as her boyfriend."_

 _"So that's why you're over here. To break things off."_

 _Again. A statement, not a question._

 _And this time Lucas does grimace, feeling really disgusted with himself for being so fickle. It's not that he hadn't realized he wanted Maya as more than just a friend. He had always known. But for some reason, he had kept trying to pretend like he could force a relationship with Riley. He knows that deep down, he believed that maybe if he stayed with Riley, his attractions to Maya would eventually disappear. But he had definitely been wrong._

 _"I think I owe it to you to properly end things." he says, "I haven't been a very good boyfriend to you."_

 _Riley contemplates him for a while, her lips slightly pursed and her eyebrows knit as an uncomfortable silence reigns between them. They're not that far apart where they're sitting, but Riley could be in a whole other world right now because Lucas can't read her emotions at all._

 _And then in one fluid motion, she rises to her feet and slaps him across the face._

 _Lucas blinks up at her in shock. His hand goes up to his stinging cheek, staring at her as the dance music blasting through the speakers in the background continues._

 _But he's not surprised because Riley slapped him. He's surprised because Riley looks mad, but something about the pity and regret and fond exasperation in her gaze makes him uncertain if she actually is._

 _"…I probably deserve that." He admits._

 _"Yes. You do. But you know why? Two things." Riley points out, crossing her arms in front of her chest. "One. How could lead me on for a year, not telling me the truth and fantasizing about my best friend while I was sitting there thinking you loved me? And then making me wait since February wondering what_ I _did to make you want to take a break when the whole time it was you. Do you know how terrible that was for me? I wish you would have just told me. I'm not weak. I could have taken it. I would've understood. Yes, I would have been mad, but I would have gotten over it and understood."_

 _Lucas looks down at the floor, feeling like shit for doing that to Riley. She's a good person. She doesn't deserve that. And he knows he really hurt her._

 _But she doesn't let him avert his gaze. Riley takes hold of his chin and gently forces his head up so he's looking her in the eye._

 _"And second, Lucas." Riley says with a frown, "What the heck are you doing?! Snap out of it. If you have feelings for Maya, you need to tell her how you feel! Because if you wait too long, she'll be taken from right under your nose."_

 _"Riley…" he says, stupefied._

 _"Look Lucas. Our relationship has been over for so many months now. I know it. You know it. Everybody knows it. Even before we took that break, we were already over. It's been long enough. And we've hurt each other in our own ways long enough."_

 _"Riley…"_

 _It's the only thing he can really think to say, because he's really confused by her reaction. He had honestly expected her to be raging mad. Belatedly, he realizes that maybe that's a testament to the fact that maybe he doesn't know Riley, even after dating for a year. He really has been a dreadful boyfriend. And the worst part is that he knows Riley will forgive him, but he doesn't know if he'll forgive himself any time soon._

 _"So let's have a clean break and move on." She smiles serenely. "You move on with Maya, because that's where your heart is taking you."_

 _"And you?"_

 _"Me? I guess I'll see. Wherever the tide takes me, that's where I'll go." She shrugs, letting go of his face. "But I do have one request. Promise me you'll tell Maya how you feel."_

 _"I promise. It's the least I can do."_

 _"Good."_

 _Lucas stands up. "So… I guess… this is goodbye?"_

 _"Yeah… Goodbye Lucas."_

 _He pulls Riley into a gentle hug, rubbing her back and hoping she can feel the apology in the gesture. If he had the right words and the perfect words to apologize with, he would say them to her, but right now, he doesn't. Honestly, he hopes she can feel how sincerely bad he feels about this. He knows he should never have stayed with her that long and led her on in their relationship when he hadn't yet figured out his own feelings._

 _Riley wraps her arms around his middle, her face nestled in the crook of his neck. He hears a soft sniffle, and Lucas is suddenly wracked with another wave of remorse and disgust with himself._

 _"Are you crying?" he asks softly._

 _"Yes…" She chuckles slightly, her voice a bit muffled. "But don't worry about it. I'll be fine."_

 _"I'm sorry, Riley. I wanted it to work out."_

 _"I know… me too. But thank you for being my first boyfriend." She pulls away from him, daintily wiping tears from her red rimmed eyes. "And thank you for giving me closure."_

 _"What are you going to do now?"_

 _Riley sniffles, letting out a small, little laugh. "I'm going to grab Maya and leave. I kind of don't want to be here right now."_

 _"I understand."_

 _As Riley walks away to find Maya, she turns around and gives him a sweet smile._

 _"Good luck, Lucas."_

 _"You too, Riley."_

* * *

It's been seven months.

Seven months since Homecoming.

Seven months since Lucas told Riley the truth.

Seven months since he and Riley officially closed out their relationship.

Seven months since Maya last spoke to him.

Lucas knows Riley told Maya about the breakup and why he needed the break and how long he's had feelings for Maya. It's not surprising. He honestly had expected it, seeing as how Riley and Maya are married and tell each other everything. What _does_ surprise him is the fact that Maya still isn't okay with it, despite the fact that he and Riley ended on amicable terms and remained close friends through it all even after a short week of awkwardness.

He knows Maya is avoiding him.

He's tried several, _several_ times to see her at her apartment, and Katy would always tell him Maya wasn't there (an obvious lie because he can always see lights through her window). And at school, Maya rushes past him without a word or doesn't even acknowledge him at all when he talks to her. And when he approaches her at Topanga's, she pretends like she has other customers to tend to or stock rooms to check or refills to handle; anything that keeps her busy and prevents him from talking to her. As much as he doesn't want to admit it, Maya's refusal to acknowledge him hurts. He just doesn't understand why after all this time, things still haven't gotten fixed. He understands the whole healing time thing about relationships. Maybe she's steering clear to respect Riley's breakup, but it's been seven months, and he thinks by now, she would have been okay.

Lucas doesn't understand why she's avoiding him just like Riley had during their break. For being two very different people, Maya and Riley sure have the same cut and run ideals when it comes to him.

But he's not going to let things continue like this.

He's going to tell her how he feels. He had promised Riley, after all.

After his last class lets out for the day, he heads over to Riley and Maya's lockers, expecting to see the brunette and the blonde conversing or laughing about something. But only Riley is there, gathering her books and exchanging them for what she doesn't need. Lucas sighs, knowing he's been bested yet again by the pint sized blonde.

"I'm trying to fulfill my promise to you, Riley," Lucas says, walking up to her, "but Maya is making it damn hard for me to have an opportunity to talk to her. I just don't know what to do anymore. She's too good at avoiding me."

Riley eyes him in amusement, shutting her locker.

"Have you tried going to her place?"

"She won't let me in. Not even through her window." Lucas leans against the lockers, his brows knit. "I don't understand why she's still avoiding me."

"It's the same reason why I avoided you when we were on break, Lucas."

He frowns, but says nothing, not knowing Riley's reason.

"Come on. It's not because she's mad that you broke up with me, Lucas." Riley gives him an exasperated look. "It's because she's scared."

"Of me?"

"Of getting hurt by you. You hurt me." Lucas grimaces at the reminder, but Riley continues on without a hitch. "Maya acts brave and is brave most of the time, but there are certain people who can easily hurt her. And when she's terrified of getting hurt by someone, she avoids them. The stronger her connection with the person, the more she avoids them. Have you thought about _why_ she's so terrified to be hurt by you? Think about it."

He understands what Riley is getting at. He had suspected that to be the case anyhow, but that still doesn't solve the problem of Maya running for the hills whenever she sees him.

"I still don't know what to do."

Riley sighs, digging in the side pocket of her bookbag before pulling out a key.

"This is a spare key to Maya's apartment." She places it in Lucas' hand, giving him a poignant look. "I'm letting you use this to get into her home. Why? Because she needs to hear what you have to say, and I don't like seeing you two unhappy. Go talk to her. And don't give this back to me until you two have worked out whatever is going on between you guys."

Lucas doesn't know how to respond to that and stares at the key for a few beats of silence. Riley waves at him in parting before skipping off and greeting her boyfriend at the end of the hallway with a kiss. Lucas is glad she's found someone. She looks happy. She looks cheerful and energetic, a sheer cry from how Riley was towards the end of their relationship. He's glad for her. He's glad she's found a real romance.

Now he just needs to figure out his.

He smiles and turns to go on his way, formulating a plan in his mind.

He's going to corner Maya and make her talk to him.

So Lucas goes and tells his baseball coach that he can't be at practice that day, though he can't explain the reason why. When he finally gets the go ahead to miss practice from his coach (though it costs him two early Saturday morning workouts to make up for skipping), he takes the first subway he can and goes straight to Maya's. He knows after school Maya will be at Topanga's for about an hour before she heads home. He unlocks her apartment and goes straight to her room, sitting on her bed and waiting for her to make an appearance.

He occupies his time with thinking about what he's going to say and what words would be best for him to convey how much he cares about her. He misses Maya. He really does and through these seven months, he's really come to truly understand the quote 'absence makes the heart grow fonder'. And even though he's hurt by her dismissal, at least this whole situation has allowed him to fully realize how much he really does want to be with her.

Luckily, he's not subjected to too long a wait.

Because Maya walks into her room about an hour later. She's holding several bags from the art store in her hands and has her phone pressed in between her tilted head and raised shoulder.

" _No Riley_! I won't talk to him." Maya rolls her eyes, using her elbow to flick on her room light. "I'm not ready to! Just because I like him doesn't mean…"

Everything Maya is holding drops to the floor after she turns around and sees him. Maya stares at Lucas for a few moments, her eyes wide and breathing a little faster than it was before.

"Riley, I've gotta go…" she mutters slowly, abruptly ending the call and sliding her phone slowly in her pocket.

Lucas can already see her decision to turn around and flee before she even starts to turn. In a split second, he shoots off of her bed and strides over to her door, flattening his palm against it and slamming the door shut before Maya can take a step out. She jumps in surprise, stiffening immediately at her escape route being blocked off.

He won't let her run from him. Not anymore.

"How the hell did you get in here?"

"Doesn't matter."

"Let me out." Maya growls, staring daggers at the door.

"No."

"I swear if you don't let me out Lucas, I'm going to–"

" _No_."

They don't say anything else for a while, though Lucas can see the tips of Maya's ears are slightly red. It annoys him. Why is she still trying to escape him when she's already been trapped? And he knows none of the careful words he planned will ever be considered if she's firmly decided that she doesn't want anything to do with him. He throws out his speech, deciding he just needs to put it all out there.

"Maya. I like you. And I'm not going to pretend I don't."

She spins around, glaring up at him, her fists clenched by her side.

"I don't want to talk to you. So get the fuck out of my room."

"And you like me too." He says matter of factly, ignoring her, "We've liked each other for years and when we danced together, you realized you wanted to be with me."

"No, I don't want to be with you. And Riley likes you. I could never be with someone who Riley likes."

Lies. All of it. He can see it in her eyes.

"Bullshit. You of all people should know that Riley and I are through. It's been seven months. You really expect me to believe that?" Lucas says softly, stepping closer and crowding her, her back pressing against the door as she backs away, " _This_ isn't about my breakup with Riley. This is about us. It's why you keep running from me. You're scared, Maya."

Maya's face flushes, her eyes wide as she stares up at him. "I-if you think for a second I'm scared of you Lucas, you need to get your head—"

"You're scared of what's between us. You're scared of the fact that I think about you every waking moment of every day." Lucas takes hold of her waist, pulling her flush against him to her soft gasp of surprise. "You're scared of how much we want each other. You're scared of what we do to each other. You're scared that we won't be able to back away if we cross this line."

Maya lets out a shuddering breath, averting her gaze.

"Why can't you just leave this alone…"

"It's okay to let me love you…" Lucas murmurs, leaning down closer to her.

Maya lifts her face, her eyes meeting his, undeniable heat in them as their gazes lock, and Lucas finds himself wanting nothing more than to slide his hands under her clothes and feel the tantalizing skin that's teased him for years.

"I know you want me too." Lucas says, his lips mere centimeters from Maya's, "But I'm not going to do anything unless you tell me. So what do you want, Maya?"

She doesn't respond for a few moments, just staring up at him, their breaths mingling from what little space exists between their lips.

And then Maya fists her hands in his shirt, tugging him sharply forward.

Flames ignite when their lips crash together.

A chaotic, all-encompassing feverish heat as their mouths move together, hands trailing under clothes, grasping each other, tangling through hair. Scorching hot fire that spreads among them, between them, all around them. Maya shudders in pleasure, hopping into his arms and wrapping her legs around his waist. He presses her against the door, she grinds against his erection, and Lucas loses his mind and any vestiges of the control he thinks he has.

Somehow they tumble onto her bed.

Somehow, her clothes come off.

Somehow, his join hers on the floor.

It's hectic. Almost frantic. Untamed as they explore each other. Uncontrolled as they touch and kiss each other. As their teeth mark each other. As their fingers caress each other. As they draw long groans from each other's lips. It's sweaty and it's hard to breathe with this sweltering heat coursing through their veins and for a moment, Lucas pauses, hovering above Maya, silently asking if she's okay with what they're about to do.

She chews on her bottom lip, nodding a bit nervously, and gazing into those glittering, heady blue-gray eyes, Lucas can't help but marvel at how beautiful she is. How lucky he is. How much he's wanted her. How long he's wanted her. Maya's gaze softens, and she curls a hand behind his neck, bringing him down into a gentle kiss that leaves him breathless.

And then he's fumbling to slide on his condom, and Maya grasps his hips, guiding him in her.

And he very quickly loses himself in the sensation.

Lucas finds that Maya's soft whimpers and breathy moans in his ear are the most wonderful things he's ever heard. He can't get enough of her. Her pink swollen lips. Her flustered face. The way she clutches at him, digging her nails into his back as he moves. He knows he's muttering incoherent nonsense into her neck, but it doesn't matter.

All that matters is them.

Their rhythm.

The way they're making each other feel.

The intensity of their feelings for each other.

And he knows he'll never be able to go back from this.

From Maya.

And when they're lying on her bed in each other's arms, spent, breathing hard, and gazing at each other with chuckles and goofy grins on their faces, he knows it really was worth it in the end.


	52. Inspiration

**A/N: LOL I'm already slacking and this is the second day xDD Sorry guys! Please forgive me for being so lazy sometimes. I'll do better from here on out hahaha I promise!  
**

 **On queue:** **foodlover00's request for the aftermath of Lucas scaring Maya!  
**

 **Enjoy! Thank you for the reviews guys! I appreciate all the kind words! Ahahaha thank you for putting up with my basically soft smut lol xD  
**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own GMW.**

* * *

 **Title: Inspiration  
Pairings&Characters: Lucas, May** **a, Lucaya (in denial)  
Genre: Friendship, WAFF, Humor (?), ****canon/AU ish  
Rating: K+ for ******Kittling  
** Summary: Maya draws Lucas and hides it.  
**

 **Request by Jemmie for Lucas finding a secret picture Maya drew of him. I kind of made it just a cute moment kind of thing while they're in the "denial" stage. I don't know what this is at all. Thank you for the request! :)**

* * *

"Alright. So then you subtract this diagonal from this diagonal. And that's the determinant for these matrices. Just remember the boat and you'll be fine."

Lucas stared at Maya in slight shock, surprised by the ease with which she did the problem.

"Maya seriously. You're _incredible_ at math. Why do you have a C in the class?"

She shrugged, kicking her legs up and down as Lucas scribbled down the solution she showed him.

"I don't feel like applying myself. Math isn't important to me."

Lucas sighed, itching to tell her that if she just put more effort in, she could really be an incredible student, but if they had that debate once, they'd had it a thousand times. He knew Maya wasn't going to listen, and he didn't feel like getting into another long discussion with her.

They continued working on their homework. Well, _Lucas_ was working on his. Maya was playing some game on his phone, growling in annoyance every once in a while. He eyed her with a raised brow for a moment. She'd invited him to her place for them to work on their homework together and she wasn't even doing any of hers. Of course, he had expected this to happen, yet he'd still accepted, deciding it wouldn't hurt to keep her company until her mom came home from work.

Is what he said anyway.

But truthfully, Lucas was staying because he always had a great time hanging out with Maya, though he wouldn't tell her that. The last thing he needed was Maya teasing him for wanting to spend time with her. He didn't want to gain another nickname in her already long repertoire of embarrassing names. It would honestly be best to keep it to himself.

"Hey, I'm parched. I'm gonna go grab a snack and sodas. You want anything?"

"Do you have water?"

Maya gave him a weird look. "You know your mom's not here, right? You don't have to be Momma's golden baby boy."

"It's baseball season." Lucas said, giving her a dry look, "I don't drink soda when I'm in training."

"Suit yourself."

She shrugged, bringing her legs around and rising to her feet. Maya left her room, her feet padding softly away down the hallway.

Taking a short break from the problems while he waited for Maya, Lucas rolled over onto his back, staring at the posters of some obscure bands he'd never heard of on her ceiling.

He liked Maya's room. It was cozy. Simple, but homey, and it always smelled of peaches. It had actually become one of his favourite places to study or hang out, though he also would never tell _that_ to Maya. Because again… he didn't want her to have another reason to tease him. The last thing he needed was Maya developing ideas that he had a crush on her or something. Because despite what Zay always joked, he did not have a crush on Maya.

She was just a close friend who he loved hanging out with alone who he also happened to think was beautiful and intelligent and brilliant and smelled amazing. It wasn't a crush.

Turning his head, his eye caught sight of something lodged under her dresser, partially concealed haphazardly by a towel. Had that ever been there before? Lucas frowned, finding it a little strange. Maya preferred shoving things under her bed, not the dresser.

Intrigued, he reached over and pulled it out from beneath the dresser, trying to justify his snooping to himself that he was just taking a quick peek at what it was that Maya was hiding, and that he would tell her he snooped later. But only when she wasn't within range of a sharp object… Like a pencil for example.

As he stared at it, his jaw slackened the slightest bit, surprised by what it was.

It turned out to be a portrait of him after a baseball game. It was incredibly detailed; he could almost relive the moment looking at it. He had his fist thrown up, cap in his hand, uniform dusty with dirt, grime smudged on his clothes and face, and hair in complete disarray. He and his teammates were celebrating an obvious win. But the teammates are painted carelessly on purpose, blending and blurring into each other like they were part of the background.

But he was drawn clearly. Every nuance, every detail concrete.

It looked almost like a photograph, like everything else was blurred out of focus and the viewer had eyes solely on him. And the weirdest thing was that it was incredibly _vivid_. Like she had been right there watching him.

But the thing about the uniform she'd drawn him in was that it was his away game uniform, as in, the games they had on other school grounds. Students from JQA High rarely went to those games because tickets weren't free. And Maya herself claimed she never went to any baseball games because they bored her.

He flipped the portrait around, finding the name of the piece scrawled on an upper corner of the back of the canvas along with an A+. It was dated from a year ago.

It was called Inspiration.

And he felt his lips pull up into a grin almost involuntarily. Maya had named a painting 'Inspiration'. And she painted it of _him_. Apparently, he inspired her. Not to mention, Maya rarely painted anyone unless she really cared about them.

He heard her footsteps approaching in the hallway, and he quickly scrambled to put the portrait back into its proper place hidden behind the towel, rolling back onto his stomach and pretending to read his Pre-Calc textbook. Maya walked in, plopping down and setting a bowl of pretzels between them before rolling his bottle of water over to him.

"You haven't finished a single problem since I left?" Maya asked with a frown, cracking open her soda, "And why do you look guilty?"

"I don't." he said quickly, "Let's just try to finish up these last few problems."

She shrugged in lack of interest before going back to the game she had been playing. But Lucas' mind wasn't on the homework anymore. He glanced at Maya, wondering just how long she'd kept her eyes on him to get that kind of clarity and precision in her painting. He had no doubt that she'd gone to his away game. If someone had taken a photograph that she based the drawing on, it would have shown up in the team's game scrapbook, but he didn't remember ever seeing a photograph like that.

The implications of such a painting made his heart race a bit in his chest.

"Hey Maya?" Lucas asked, breaking the silence, "You haven't been to any of my games, right?"

"Nope."

"Never?"

"Why would I ever go?" She answered indifferently, her eyes still glued to the phone. "It's a total snoozefest."

"Right…" He raised a brow, tilting his head and trying to catch her expression. "So you definitely haven't gone to an away game."

"Yeah. It's like ten bucks a ticket. Count me out." Maya said, slightly turning her face away as she munched on a pretzel.

"That's a shame…" Lucas said playfully, "I'm sure you could find a great muse if you went."

Maya brows furrowed as she paused the game on the phone and glanced at him. "I can find a muse anywhere. Why would I waste hours at a hot, sweaty, boring game?"

"Don't you have some project due in a month where you have to paint the meaning of any motivational quote to you? You could use a baseball slogan and paint a highlight from a game or something."

"…That's actually a pretty good idea." Maya said slowly, "It's totally—"

" _Inspirational_? An _inspiration_? Did I _inspire_ you?"

Maya frowned in confusion. "No… I was going to say…"

And then her brows rose, her cheeks flushing as she stared at him. Lucas grinned cheekily, chuckling at her silence and mentally memorizing the flustered shock on her face. Maya wasn't usually fazed, so he'd definitely have to remember this moment.

"When did you see it?!"

"I think the question to ask is: how long have you had a crush on me, Maya?"

She upended the bowl of pretzels on his head.


	53. Strangers

**A/N: Yes! I aced my exams and kicked ass on a project and then I conquered a public speaking type excursion! School you are no match for me! (Right now AHAHAHAHAH. Wait until November, I'm going to be crying about not having a life anymore...) LOL but I am really failing at this UAD thing ahahaha xDDD  
**

 **On queue:** **bowtied request for Lucas and Maya concert experience!  
**

 **Enjoy! As always, thank you all for being so sweet and lovely! Your reviews are so kind and it means the world to me that you take time out of your busy days. I really appreciate it! :D  
**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own GMW.**

* * *

 **Title: Strangers  
Pairings&Characters: Lucas, May** **a  
Genre: Wangst, Hurt/Comfort, ****AU  
Rating: T for Tabula Rasa** ** **  
**Summary: She found him.  
**

 **Sequel to Enough Is Enough. (Kind of awkward writing, because I had three different ideas for this one and I didn't want to leave out any of them but I'm not sure they meshed, but you know... I'm a little too lazy right now to consider fixing it... Probably later though.)  
**

 **Request by foodlover00 for followup after their "breakup". Sorry about the long wait! I hope it worked out! Thank you for your request! :3**

 **Request by You Can Call Me Effie for Maya's POV for why she left Lucas. Thank you for your request, love! :)**

* * *

Maya liked to think her life was in some semblance of togetherness. That everything was fine and dandy and that she had a pretty good grip on her life.

But it wouldn't be the truth.

Not at all.

Her life was something of a mess right now.

It was why she was at the park instead of in her apartment after a long day at the studio. Truth be told, it was difficult going home to her own empty apartment. Up until three months ago, she'd never had to be alone, after all. But even after all this time, it was still difficult readjusting to a life without Lucas. Especially with the way they had parted. Part of her wanted to run back to him, but every time she was tempted, she had to remind herself of the fear.

Of what her staying with Lucas could do to him.

But that still didn't stop her from creeping around his apartment sometimes, hiding behind bushes and trees and spying on him and keeping tabs on his life. Maya wasn't proud of it and it was ridiculous and she'd certainly gotten her fair share of odd looks from passersby, but Lucas had been such a huge part of her life, and she couldn't let him go. She hadn't been ready to three months ago, though he'd given her no choice, and even now, she still didn't want to.

And though she hid herself, keeping herself out of his way, she couldn't help but stare after him in longing, wishing she could go to him, but she felt like they were strangers. Like they had lost that which made them work so well and made them so in tune with each other. They used to connect and understand each other on such a deep level Maya had never gotten with anyone else.

At least until Lucas' deep, underlying anger issues started to take over his life, and Maya felt like she had lost Lucas to his rage.

She felt incompetent, like a useless girlfriend, and those feelings had only escalated until the breaking point when Lucas had smashed the wall next to her head and for the first time, she'd felt a fear so terrible, it had shaken her to her core.

"Maya?"

She was roused from her thoughts from the familiar voice, her skin prickling in recognition. Maya glanced up in surprise, meeting the eyes of Lucas who was wearing an indecipherable expression on his face.

"Hey…" Maya said, dazed, in a near whisper. She cleared her throat and smiled slightly. "Lucas. It's… It's been a while."

"Yeah." He scratched the back of his head. "Yeah, it really has. Three months."

"Yeah."

Maya didn't know what to say. She didn't know how she was supposed to respond. She felt so out of sorts not knowing how to talk to Lucas. That had never been the case before. It saddened her.

They really had become strangers.

"Do you mind if I sit?" he asked, a little hesitantly.

She shook her head. "Not at all."

He smiled, sitting on the other side of the bench, slightly turned towards her so they could converse more easily. It wasn't lost on Maya how far the distance between them on the bench was as opposed to the way they used to sit, Maya cuddled up in his side and resting her head on his shoulder. It was as if it was some twisted analogy to show the distance between their hearts from back then compared to now.

"So how's umm…" Maya asked, her mind frantically scrambling for a conversation topic. "How's uh… work?"

She nearly cringed at the question. Once upon a time, conversation used to flow between them like water. Now she was resorting to small talk tactics just so she could keep their conversation alive.

"It's good. Work's good. How's yours?"

"Decent. I'm busy with the show coming up at the gallery soon, but I'm enjoying it."

"Yeah, I saw flyers for the show. Congratulations."

"Thank you." Maya replied, "I just can't wait for it to be over though. I never thought painting could be so draining."

"Are you getting enough rest?" he asked in concern, "I remember whenever you had shows to prepare for in the past you would pull all-nighters and fall asleep at your easel."

And then Lucas would scoop her up and carry her to their bed so she wouldn't wake up with kinks in her neck and stiff shoulders. She missed that. She also missed how he would leave her breakfast for when she woke up, usually a shortstack of pancakes. Sometimes he would cut it up so it was in the shape of a heart. And then he'd send her dorky texts while at work celebrating his double pun.

Maya shrugged. "Decent amount, I guess. I've gotten better at not painting until I can't open my eyes anymore though."

"That's good then."

"Yeah."

They lapsed into silence once again, Maya gazing at Lucas and somewhat wringing the hem of her shirt. He was still watching her with that same concealed, hooded expression in his eyes, as if he was waiting for her to make a move first or something. As if there was something he was waiting to tell her. And Maya couldn't deny that her pulse sped up the tiniest bit in anticipation.

"How's umm… How is everything?" Maya finally brought up what she'd been thinking once the silence started to make her feel very uncomfortable. "You know, with your… uh… issues."

"I went to a support group a couple weeks ago." Lucas said, his gaze trained on the ferry in the bay in the distance. "It was… clarifying."

"Clarifying how?"

He let out a long breath, turning so he was facing her more directly.

"Can I tell you the truth?" Lucas asked, staring at her with a look in his eyes that made Maya's heart skip a beat.

"What?"

"I didn't accidentally run into you. I followed you here. I've seen you spend time here over the past couple of months and I… I wanted to see you. I wanted to talk to you." He admitted earnestly. "Maya, I haven't been able to forget about you. I really do need you."

She needed him too.

"Lucas…" Maya swallowed thickly, staring at the gravel on the pathway. "I don't know if I can be in a relationship with you again."

She was scared to be in a relationship with him. But not because she thought he would hurt her. Even though he had momentarily frightened her, her feelings of fear towards Lucas had for the most part subsided by that point.

What she was frightened of was something worse.

She was scared that she wouldn't be enough to help him. That she wouldn't be able to keep him from his self-destructive anger. That one day, the cold rage in his heart would overtake all she'd done to keep him from losing control and when that time came, he would never come back to her.

It was the main reason she had left.

She didn't want him to lose control and do something he would regret because even though she knew she would forgive him eventually, Lucas would never forgive himself, and it would wreck him. He would grow to hate himself, maybe even despise himself, and she didn't want him to live the rest of his life regretting his mistakes and beating himself up for them.

She left to _protect_ him, not just because she was scared, but because she also knew just how easily she could be the source that could cause him to erupt, never mind the fact that she normally kept his anger in check. Lucas tended to lose control with anything negative regarding her. And he was too dependent on her to keep him sane. She was a danger to him. Not the other way around.

Maya glanced at Lucas and the pain she could read in his expression nearly broke her heart. Even more than the day she had left him, watching him slowly lose his mind in grief. She wanted to be with him. Maya loved him, but he wasn't in any state to be in a relationship with her right now. And she refused to let him.

"I'm sorry…" She whispered, shaking her head. "I just can't."

"I know… I figured." Lucas said, a small smile on his lips as he regarded her with pain stricken sea foam coloured eyes. "That's why I've decided to go back to Texas."

Maya wasn't sure how well she withheld her physical reaction to his confession, but her breath caught in her chest, and she felt her heart clench painfully in her chest.

"…Y-you're going back?"

Lucas stared at the ground. "I think I have to."

Maya could feel her throat tightening the slightest bit, and she tried to swallow the lump in her throat.

"So that's that, huh…" She fought the tears that were stinging the back of her eyes. "You're leaving…"

And she would probably never see him again.

"Maya, it's not what you think. I'm going to Texas to confront the root source of my issues. I'm going back to fix myself so that I can learn to control myself." Lucas said, his fists clenched, "You've done so much to keep me under control. You changed me for the better, Maya. But now it's my turn to meet you halfway and get rid of my demons once and for all."

"Lucas." Maya stared at him, surprised by what he had said, "That's great. I'm happy for you."

But that still didn't change the fact that he was leaving, and Maya felt like her heart was tearing in two.

"I'm going to get control of myself, and I'm only going to return to New York once I do." His gaze met hers again, his expression wholly serious and determined. "And then I'm going to win you back. I'm going to fight for you to take me back. No matter how long it takes."

Maya's eyes widened, her heart beating a little erratically in her chest at his declaration.

"Lucas…"

"In the meantime, I think we need a clean slate. We need to start over, because the old me ruined us. But I'm a new me. A changed me." He smiled a little playfully. "And I don't think you've met New Lucas before."

Maya smiled back, a flock of butterflies dancing in her stomach at the glimpse of the return of the Lucas she fell in love with two years ago when she ran into him, a Texan lost on a subway and hella late for a meeting and confused by everything New York City. One still battling his inner demons, not yet consumed by anger and rage, not yet losing his mind, not yet losing control.

There he was.

She found him.

She found Lucas.

Maya held out her hand. "Maya Hart."

Lucas smiled, shaking her hand. "Lucas Friar."

"Nice to meet you, Ranger Rick."


	54. Unpredictable

**A/N: Hey guys! Here's a quick tip for sequels I write in case I forget to put the chapter number (which happens all the time LOL IM SORRY xD) and you are interested in seeing which chapter it was: If you scroll down to the very very very bottom of the page, there is a link that says 'Desktop/Tablet Mode'. When you click on the link, it takes you to what you see on a computer and you will be able to see chapter names. To go back to what you see on mobile, at the very very very top of the page on the blue right next to the words 'unleash your imagination', there is a little rectangle that looks like a mini phone. Just press that icon, and it will take you back to what you see on mobile!  
**

 **Just letting you know because every time I tell myself to put the chapter number of the sequel, for some reason, I forget! So sorry about that :) But use the above tip when I don't specify!**

 **On queue:** **Guest request for Lucas' friend hitting on Maya!  
**

 **Enjoy! Thank you my loves for all your sweetness and words! When I say that it really brightens my day, I honestly mean it! There is so much going on in my life all day every day and it's really just the greatest thing to be able to kick back, and read all the awesome, funny, and kind things you guys say! Just thank you in general for being you! :D  
**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own GMW.**

* * *

 **Title: Unpredictable  
Pairings&Characters: Lucas, May** **a, Lucaya, slight Joshaya  
Genre: Friendship, Angst, Humor (?), IDK WHAT THIS IS, ****AU  
Rating: T for ******Thoughts Being Wrong  
** Summary: Lucas' unexpected behaviour throws Maya for a loop. (LOL IDK)  
**

 **Request by bowtied for Lucas taking Maya to a concert and surprising the crap out of her. I tried lolol. IDK WHAT THIS IS. But this story is trying to be two different things, and I am so sorry with how it turned out. Feel free to request anything else you want if this is too sloppy. I'M SORRY! Thank you for the request! :3  
**

 **This version of Lucas was inspired by shortstackofpancakesx(previously known as:ThisDarlingBibliophile) who introduced us to Nerdy!Lucas and Sexy!Lucas combined (Snerdy!Lucas LOL?) and made me fall in love :D**

 **Note : I just picked some random name for the band. If it's an actual band's name LOL what a coincidence. But it shouldn't exist I don't think.**

* * *

"The Excursions." Maya deadpanned, looking at Lucas as if he had lost his mind. "You bought two tickets to see The Excursions tonight."

Lucas shrugged, looking a little sheepish. "I mean… yes."

Maya snorted. "You're telling me that Lucas Huckleberry Friar, the Momma's boy cowboy born and raised on a country farm in Texas playing banjo and whittling with ol' Pappy Joe, obsessed with comic book superheros and Star Trek knows The Excursions?"

They were the kind of band that you only knew if you were with a certain scene. They had a pretty strong fan base in the NYC underground, but most people did not know about them. They were the farthest thing from mainstream. To give The Excursions a label, which was totally what they were _not_ about, she'd say they were alternative punk and indie folk with ska and reggae influences and a panache for nu metal. It was weird. They were a weird band. But Maya liked their sound. It kind of reminded her of New York, bustling and wild and crazy and all over the place and never settling down.

But she could not fathom the idea that _Lucas_ would ever know who they were. He just wasn't the type of guy who would listen to them. This was the same guy who thought a party was only a party when someone cranked on some bluegrass. This was the guy who ranted and obsessed about comic books and forced her to skip school to wait in lines at 5 AM so he could be one of the lucky few who managed to get a limited edition copy of some comic.

"I know you've wanted to go to their concert. And I felt like going too. So I bought tickets."

She stared at him for a moment, her arm resting on his desk as she contemplated him silently. What was his game?

"I don't buy it." she finally said.

Lucas sighed in exasperation, pushing his glasses up his nose with his finger. "Fine. I know you've been pretty down lately since Josh got that girlfriend at NYU. So I wanted to cheer you up. Take your mind off of him. I thought going to a concert would be good."

She regarded him with furrowed brows for a moment, but before she could respond, their AP Calc teacher stormed into the room, snapping at the class to shut their traps because she could hear them all the way down the hallway. Maya whipped around and faced the front before Mrs. Jefferson decided to add another detention to the three Maya already had for sleeping in class.

But she didn't see why she couldn't go to the concert. She wasn't sure why Lucas would even want to go to a concert of a group he didn't know, but if he wanted to torture himself, that was on him. She scribbled a quick affirmative on a note, telling him to pick her up at nine before setting it on his desk and focusing on the AP exam review their teacher had begun.

~.~.~

When they arrived at the venue, a moderately small concert hall, it was fairly packed, most people already hurrying to get their place near the front of the stage. Since the venue was downtown, it had taken them a while to find parking, especially since Lucas hadn't wanted to pay any more than he needed to when he could drive a couple more blocks up and snag free parking at the mall.

They walked in, the muggy, BO filled air hitting them fully, making both their noses wrinkle a bit in disgust. They went past the front where concert memorabilia was being sold, passing by stairs for the balconies in favour of the general pit, heading to the already crowded floor of teens and adults alike buzzing in excitement about the impending concert. Maya made a beeline for the bar.

"You trying to leave me?" Lucas said, pretending to be offended.

"I'll be right back."

"Where are you going?"

Maya sighed. "When I go to concerts, I like to do things a certain way. So don't get all judge-y, Mr. Perfect."

"You mean like using your fake ID to buy drinks?"

She narrowed her eyes at him. "How did you know?"

"Lucky guess."

"It's not like I'm crazy about alcohol." Maya felt the need to defend herself. It wasn't like she seriously thought Lucas would treat her any differently or look at her as if she was some deplorable human being, but she just didn't want him to think badly of her. "It's just that the experience is better with it."

"It's fine. I don't mind at all." Lucas said in amusement, leaning against the wall. "Think you could get me a beer too? I accidentally left my ID at home."

She was surprised by his admittance, frowning in slight shock.

"Wait, you have a fake ID?" she asked incredulously.

"Yeah. How else am I supposed to get stuff?"

"Lucas Moral Compass Friar has a fake ID?" Maya repeated.

"Moral Compass? Okay, sure whatever." Lucas said, one brow raised in amusement. "But yes, I have one. Also, I would like to point out that I paid for your ticket. The least you could do is buy me a drink."

"Fine."

Shaking her head in disbelief at the revelation that Lucas had a fake, she left, heading over to the bar nonchalantly.

"Can I have two beers, please. Medium." Maya said, leaning against the counter.

"Are you actually twenty-one?" the bartender asked, a brow raised dubiously.

Maya mimicked the brow raise, cool, calm, and confident. "Do I look like I'm twenty-one?"

The bartender—Cherry, it said on her nametag—stared at Maya for a moment, obviously trying to figure out if she was being utterly sarcastic or reverse psychologing her ass with the truth, but after a few seconds, she shrugged, not caring, and grabbed two mid sized plastic cups, filling them up with the venue's cheap tap beer.

"Your boyfriend's a hottie." Cherry said, sliding the two drinks over to Maya.

"Not my boyfriend." Maya snorted as she gave her her debit card, knowing she was referring to Lucas. Sure, Lucas was cute, in a slightly nerdy, princely, pretty boy kind of way, but she never understood why so many girls kept making comments like that. "And really? A hottie?"

"Behind the thick rimmed nerdo glasses, I mean. He's pretty hot."

Maya briefly looked back at Lucas as she waited for Cherry to ring her up. Lucas was in shape and by most people's definition probably a hunk, but she'd never really seen him as a _hottie_ per se. Though now that she thought about it, she'd never actually seen him without his glasses since he'd transferred to JQA High at the start of their senior year. She tilted her head, trying to imagine him without the accessory. She supposed he'd be pretty attractive, but she couldn't really tell. She'd never really paid attention to that when they hung out. Then again, they'd only really started hanging out a lot more this semester since they were in basically all the same classes.

"Sure..." she said, rolling her eyes.

Maya got her card back and thanked Cherry, walking back over to Lucas with their beer.

"All set, Huckleberry."

"C'mon." Lucas said playfully, taking one from her, "I think I know the perfect spot. If we push our way past that group of people, you'll probably be able to see some of the stage, though with you being a midget, I don't know…"

"Hey, shut up!"

Lucas laughed, taking her free hand in his. "Stay close behind, okay?"

She followed close behind him as he led her through the crowd towards the middle, forcing his way past people who couldn't do anything but glare at him indignantly. But Maya doubted anyone would try to challenge him when his face was turned down in something of a 'what are you going to do about it' scowl. Despite his glasses and interests, Lucas wasn't exactly what one would call a stereotypical nerd in appearance. And apparently, he could look pretty intimidating when he wanted to which honestly surprised Maya who had always seen him as something like Mary's little lamb.

And his self-assured behaviour also surprised her. Lucas was usually hesitant and soft spoken, but since they'd arrived, it was like a switch had been turned on in him. It was like he'd been to one of these concerts before since he knew how to navigate the crowd and seemed to have a routine and technique on lock. Maya was honestly a little confused.

"You know you can't do-si-do to this kind of music, right?" Maya teased once they'd stopped in an area close to the middle.

"Oh really?" he drawled, tugging her in front of him so she could see, "Damn. I wore my cowboy boots for nothing."

Maya stared back at him, having a hard time deciphering his smirk, which she'd never seen on his face before. On the one hand, he seemed like he was playing around. On the other, she wasn't so sure he was. She was a little startled by him. She usually had a pretty good read on Lucas on a day to day basis, but right now, she didn't recognize him at all. Nor could she figure him out.

"If you embarrass me, I'm ditching you without a second thought." Maya muttered, turning back to face the front and sipping her beer when the main lights cut off.

The opening act came out on stage; some guy making electronica. She didn't pay much attention to it, though she nodded in time with the music, all the while drinking her beer and waiting for the main act.

As expected, soon after it started, weed seemed to collect in a haze around them. It was pungent and thick and smelled pretty awful. That was one of the downsides to some of these concerts. The cheap drugs people sold and the idiots who came totally trashed and vomited on people by the end of the night. But at least one good thing was Maya wouldn't be in danger of getting thrown up on since Lucas was standing pretty closely behind her. At least one of the benefits of being so short was definitely the fact that most people's mouths were above her head, so she wasn't subjected to weed smoke being blown right into her face.

"You okay?" Lucas asked from behind her, his hand resting protectively on her waist.

"Yeah, I'm fine." She said, a little surprised by how she hadn't even noticed he was touching her in the first place.

She became acutely aware of the heat radiating from his body behind her, the skin on her neck prickling when he tugged her slightly backwards, holding her to his chest, when someone in front of her moved to the left through the crowd, almost hitting her with their arm. She tried to focus on the music and not on Lucas and how completely unlike himself he was behaving.

After another two opening acts had performed, she'd long finished her beer when The Excursions finally came out and started their set. The whole crowd cheered, jumping and dancing to the wild beat of the music. Maya joined the hyped crowd, shouting out the lyrics with the others, and that was when she heard Lucas' voice behind her.

Was he… singing?

With a shock of surprise, Maya realized that Lucas _was_ in fact singing along to the song. He was kind of muttering the lyrics under his breath, but Maya recognized his voice behind her, low and slightly gravelly, and honestly kind of nice. The kind of deep, dark singing voice that got girls wet. It was honestly kind of hot.

Her geeky friend could sing?!

And above that... he knew The Excursions' songs?!

And it didn't stop there. Through many of the songs, Lucas sang along to every single one, knowing even the ones that were from the group's EP from when they were just a high school garage band. And Maya was utterly shocked at that, completely thrown for a loop over what she'd just come to learn about him. It took a while to get over her bewilderment, but she shook it off, rejoining the celebration.

Near the end of the set, Maya was feeling that buzz of excitement from the concert, the muggy heat permeating around them making her mind hazy and sweat drip from her clothes. She was having a lot of fun, whipping her hair around and dancing a little crazy during her favourite songs. She vaguely heard Lucas chuckling behind her, and though she knew he was probably laughing at her, she could tell that he was having a good time too.

She leaned back into him, letting him steady her, electricity dancing down her spine from the feel of his hands on her waist just slightly under the hem of her top.

If she stopped to think about it, it was honestly really nice.

~.~.~

As soon as they got to Lucas' truck and hopped inside, sometime around 1 AM and breathing hard from their somewhat long walk, Maya pulled off her heeled boots, flexing her sore feet and toes and kicking up her feet onto the dashboard. She felt a bit disgusting with the sweat and the smell of weed clinging to her skin and inside her nose. Lucas looked just as sweaty and gross, parts of his shirt darkened with his perspiration and plastered to the muscles of his chest.

As soon as Lucas turned on the engine, Maya cranked up the air conditioning way high and the temperature way down, sighing in relief and fanning herself as the cold air blasted over her overheated body.

"I didn't expect you to know all the words to every song, Hopalong."

Lucas grinned, pulling off his glasses momentarily to clean off the fog on the lens. "The Excursions are actually one of my favourite bands. I've been listening to them since they started up four years ago."

"You knew about them all the way on your farm in Texas?" Maya snorted, lowering the cold air when goosebumps started to rise on her arms. "Who knew you had such great taste in music, Sundance? I definitely wasn't expecting that."

Lucas turned to her, a small, indecipherable smile on his lips.

"Guess there's more to me than the comic book loving cowboy from the farm, huh?"

It wasn't a particularly weird question, but something about the way he had said it, a little bit pitched low, a little husky, a little loaded made her pause in rubbing her arms and look at him. She did a double take, a fluttering hitting her stomach hard at the expression in his eyes. She was pretty taken aback, not just by the fact that Lucas without his uber nerdy glasses was unbelievably _smoking hot_ , but also because of the way he was looking at her, something a little dangerous and mysterious in his darkened sea-foam gaze. She felt a sting of excitement and anticipation, wondering why suddenly, Lucas seemed like an entirely different person.

"Lu—"

"I should probably drop you off before your mom flips a shit that you're way over curfew."

And just like that, whatever trance they were in was broken when he smiled goofy and slid his glasses back on his face, the mysterious guy tucked neatly away, replaced by the Lucas she was used to. Maya stared at him in slight shock, her pulse still running a bit fast at the glimpse of an unknown Lucas she had just been granted.

At least, until he turned on the radio, blasting country music.

Maya's face fell.

"Change the station, Huckleberry."

"No way." He said, raising a brow as he pulled out of the parking lot, "I love this song."

"Urgh…" Maya groaned, covering her ears with her hands, "I take it back. You have _terrible_ taste in music…"

Lucas only laughed, singing along loudly with an obnoxious exaggerated country twang to the song.

~.~.~

When they got to her apartment complex, he pulled up on the side where her window was as requested. Maya was sure her mother was asleep by this point, but she didn't want to risk waking her up and incurring her wrath for being so late coming back home. Not to mention the fact that she smelled like weed and she had been drinking, something that her mom could easily smell on her breath and would probably get her grounded until she left for college.

Maya hopped out of the car with Lucas, and he walked her to the bottom of the fire escape.

"Shouldn't you be heading home?"

"I want to make sure you get into your room."

"Alright." Maya said, staring up at him, still a little perplexed by how big a difference Lucas at the concert had been acting compared to the one with her now. "See you on Monday?"

Lucas smiled. "Bright and early."

Maya nodded slowly, unsure what to really say after that. She turned and went up the fire escape, making her way to her room's level. She breathed out a sigh of relief when she realized her window was still partially open. Which meant she wasn't busted.

"Hey Ranger Rick!" Maya called out, leaning against the rail of the escape.

Lucas looked up, on the verge of getting into his car.

"Yeah?"

"Thanks for inviting me. I had fun tonight." She smiled. "We should do this again sometime."

He grinned. "In that case, how would you feel about going to a country music open mic night at the Corner Café with me tomorrow?"

She rolled her eyes to the sky. "I already regret saying that."

Lucas gazed up at her for a moment, his hands in his pockets as his lips quirked up into a secretive little smirk.

"Goodnight, Shortstack." Lucas said lowly, "Don't let the bedbugs bite."

She stared at him as he got in his car and drove off, her heart battering in her chest. What the hell had that been?

"...Night Huckleberry...?"

Maya turned around, opening her window all the way and climbing in. Once she was inside, she closed it, locking the window up for the night.

Maya shed her sweaty, weed scented clothes and took a shower almost on auto pilot, her mind running through her evening with Lucas, trying to compute and comprehend Lucas and utterly failing. He had been one hundred percent unpredictable all night and as much as she liked to say she had her Texan, comic book loving friend totally figured out, the fact of the matter was that she was starting to feel like she didn't. Who had that Lucas been all night? And why was thinking about him making her heart jump in excitement.

As she changed into her pajamas and climbed into bed, feeling drained and exhausted now that the adrenaline from the concert had subsided, she realized she hadn't thought of Josh all evening. Not once had he even crossed her mind thanks to Lucas.

Maya smiled, biting her lower lip as she settled under her covers.

She couldn't lie. She really was starting to think there was a lot more to Lucas Friar than she had originally assumed.

And she liked it.

A lot.


	55. The Wingman

**A/N: Yeah... So I kind of exploded. I'm sure you all know why... But here's the next oneshot anyway lolololol... I'm still picking up the pieces of me right now. Oh man... I can barely write anything heavy because holy crap... Sorry if this one is a little messed up... It reflects my current state of mind lol. MESSED UP.  
**

 **On queue:** **? ? ? ;3 (Hint: What's a dish best served cold?)  
**

 **Enjoy! I appreciate the reviews guys! Thank you for being so sweet! It means a lot~ I know I'm not keeping up as well as I should, ahahah but I promise I won't give up! :)  
**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own GMW.**

* * *

 **Title: The Wingman  
Pairings&Characters: OC, Surly!Lucas (slightly OOC?), May** **a, Lucaya, Zay, Zaley (if you squint)  
Genre: ****Romance, Humor,** **Angst, WAFF/Fluff, Hurt/Comfort,** **AU  
Rating: T for ******Tricking The Dense Dope  
** Summary: They needed help. Badly.  
**

 **Request by Guest for Lucas' friend hitting on Maya (and I'm assuming you wanted Jealous!Lucas thrown in there ahaha, but I kind of warped him so he was more Surly than Dangerous). I hope this sufficed even if it's actually probably very different from what you expected lol. Thank you for your request! :D  
**

* * *

Grant didn't consider himself a ladies man in any way shape or form. But he understood how girls thought. He was good at girls, so he was very good at captivating girls and then playing them into wanting someone else. He fancied himself a college aged 'Hitch' or like that guy from Crazy Stupid Love played by the ever suave and sexy Ryan Gosling. Or maybe Grant was just a really good con artist?

Anyway, above all that, he was his friends' designated wingman. So whenever one of his friends wanted to date someone, Grant usually accompanied him, playing him up and usually got him the girl by the end of the night. He was very confident in his abilities.

But when Zay invited Grant to come stay with him for fall break because he needed to trick Lucas into finally making a move on his crush, Grant was a little hesitant. Not only did the plan involve Grant hitting on someone he would barely have any time to get to know, but it also involved apparently making a temporary enemy of Lucas. And while Grant was lucky that Lucas called him friend and would not possibly injure him, he was still wary of his irritation and anger.

But he accepted the invitation nonetheless (because _hello._ Free trip to New York City.) and came to NYU to spend the weekend with his Texan friends and also because he was interested in meeting this infamous tiny blonde beauty who apparently turned Lucas into a lovestruck fool with just a smile.

(He still didn't believe Zay about that. There was no way in hell _Lucas Friar_ got lovestruck).

When Grant first met Zay's friends at Topanga's, the first thing he noticed was that said blonde beauty, Maya Hart, was absolutely gorgeous in a wild, almost dangerous kind of way and totally available. The next thing he noticed was Lucas staring at Maya with a lovestruck, dazed face (which shocked him so badly, Grant had to blink several times to make sure he wasn't imagining it). And the last thing he noticed was the obvious unresolved sexual tension just lingering between them when they spoke to each other.

(Which was making _everyone_ uncomfortable.)

And Grant understood exactly what Zay meant about them needing help. And so the next day, he decided to carry out the plan as requested of him.

To get Lucas jealous so he would make a move on Maya.

It didn't take long for Grant to get a somewhat decent reading on Maya Hart from subtly watching her. She was a pistol. A guarded spitfire and someone quite unpredictable and a little bit mysterious if you asked him. But she was also sensitive and caring and clearly would do anything to put her friends first.

And oblivious.

So horribly, horribly oblivious.

She was the kind of girl who didn't understand just how much she was worth and clearly desired. Probably didn't notice all the double takes and looks she kept getting from guys. Didn't seem to notice the abnormally large amount of guys at Topanga's that evening. And above that, didn't seem to notice Lucas' intense stares and gazes.

They needed help. Badly.

So he bided his time, waiting until Maya wasn't occupied serving a table before he approached her at the counter.

"Hey, I couldn't help but notice that a gorgeous girl like you is single."

Maya quirked a brow, looking amused. "By choice, Grant."

"Really? That's too bad. I'm sure you could have any guy you wanted."

"That's what you would think, huh?" Maya mused softly, her gaze drifting past Grant, no doubt to Lucas sitting on the couches with Zay. "That's definitely not the case."

Oh she had it bad.

Grant _had_ to fix it.

"You seem upset about that."

Maya let out a sigh, picking up a rag and wiping down the counter. "Nah. It is what it is."

Grant smiled charmingly. "How about I take you out?"

Maya frowned, pausing in her wiping of the counter and staring at him.

"Let's go to a movie tomorrow. You seem like you need some cheering up. And I wouldn't mind going out with a charismatic cutie like you. Win-win for both of us." Grant shrugged nonchalantly. "It can be casual. Promise. And I'll even let you pick the movie."

She pursed her lips in thought, her expression suspicious as she stared at him.

"You don't know me. Yet you want to go out with me?"

"Just a fun little outing. You seem like a cool person." Grant leaned across the counter, his lips quirked up in a smile. "If you think I'm a weirdo or creep, talk to Zay. He can vouch for me."

"I don't know…" Maya said playfully, "Zay also vouches for the Red Sox for some reason. Can I really trust his opinion?"

Grant laughed. She was utterly charming. How Lucas was even remotely able to deny his attraction to her was beyond him.

"Touché. What can I do to convince you to go out with me?"

"Well, the promise of a giant bin of popcorn and a smoothie usually does it for me."

"If I throw in some sour straws, is it a done deal?"

"…Alright." Maya said at length after looking past his shoulder for a moment. "Pick me up at six-thirty then? I have a shift at nine-thirty, so it has to be a little earlier."

"Of course."

"Great." Maya smiled. "It's a date."

As Grant returned to the couches, Lucas was watching him, his brows furrowed a bit suspiciously. Zay was looking at the ground, trying hard to conceal his laugh. Grant knew Lucas wanted to know what they had talked about, but he clearly wasn't going to ask.

(Was he really this stubborn? Grant had never seen someone so adamant in concealing their feelings in his life. He was barely giving him anything to work with).

So with a sigh, Grant started up the inevitable conversation.

"Maya sure is a cute one." Grant said obnoxiously, plopping down next to Zay with a grin on his face, "I asked her out to a movie."

That got Lucas' attention right quick. There was a slight glint in his eyes, his mouth turning down in something of a frown.

"You asked Maya out?" Lucas said a little tightly, "You barely know her."

Grant shrugged nonchalantly. "Well, _she_ said yes. And when will I ever get the chance to go on a date with her again? I live in Texas."

Lucas was clearly not amused. His jaw clenched, the scowl on his face darkening the slightest bit at Grant's words though he said nothing.

"You okay Lucas?" Grant said chidingly, "You look a little pissed off."

"I'm fine."

"So you're okay with me going out with her then?" Grant pressed, getting a little fed up with Lucas' obstinacy.

Why couldn't he just fall for the trap already?

Lucas' eyes narrowed. "I know how many girls you've gotten with Grant. And I don't know how I feel about you going out with Maya. She's not someone you can just toy with and throw away, you know?"

Bingo.

Grant chuckled. "True, but we're never going to see each other again. Who knows… I might just try to lure Maya home with me. One night of fun. No strings, no repercussions, no awkward meetings in the future. I don't see why she would say no. You know, seeing as how she agreed to this date when we barely know each other."

He left the words dangling in the air between them and Lucas' expression went sharp and dangerous in a matter of milliseconds. Nano even. Grant swallowed thickly, reminding himself that he was doing this for Lucas, no matter how much his life felt threatened in that moment.

"I'm coming with you." Lucas growled through grit teeth.

Perfect.

(Although for a minute, he'd had to convince himself he hadn't heard 'I'm coming _for_ you' and run out the door).

And so, the next evening he and Lucas went to a movie with Maya. She didn't question Lucas' presence or why he was looking pretty peeved, but Grant also didn't give her the chance to talk to Lucas.

The entire night, he flirted with her, complimenting her and wrapping his arm around her for no reason. He was overly flirtatious, too touchy-feely and absolutely suggestive, cracking jokes about how much fun he and Maya could have with one night in the sack. Maya took it all in stride, rolling her eyes good naturedly and laughing along with him.

And Lucas?

Lucas grew progressively and progressively more irate as the night continued, not saying much but glowering at the two of them every other second. He looked pretty pissed off, and if Grant hadn't reminded himself over and over and _over_ again that he was doing this _for_ Lucas' sake, he would have turned tail and run. He was starting to think that maybe one reason Maya was unattached was because Lucas probably death glared the crap out of everybody and anybody who even tried to approach her.

But Grant wasn't quite done yet. He needed Lucas to snap.

(Hopefully not _at_ him, but he definitely needed to see that hot rage in Lucas' eyes).

As they walked her back to Topanga's after the end of the movie, Grant made sure to keep on the other side of Maya and _not_ the same side of Lucas, because Grant had his arm around the short blonde's shoulders, and he wasn't sure how much he trusted Lucas not to try to rip his arm off.

"I had fun tonight, Grant." Maya said when they reached the stairs of Topanga's, though she was eyeing Lucas in annoyance, "Even if Mr. Moody here barely said anything the whole night and gave us dirty looks. What's your problem?"

Maya shot Lucas a questioning raised brow, but Lucas only leaned against the railing, shoving his fists into his jacket pocket.

"I don't have one." He said fairly sharply and Maya scoffed, rolling her eyes.

Grant watched it unfold with a smile.

They were almost there. Now all he needed was the cherry on top.

"I would have loved another date from you, Maya. It's a shame we don't have more time." Grant said before puckering his lips and tapping them playfully. "Can I at least get a kiss to commemorate this evening, though?"

And there they were. The flames that sparked in Lucas' eyes that Grant knew he had successfully brought out. If Lucas had been mildly annoyed at the beginning of the night, he was absolutely livid now.

"Sure, why not." Maya snorted, "But I'm not kissing your lips."

Maya stepped closer to him, rising to her tip toes and pressing her lips softly to his cheek. And then she leaned forward and wrapped her arms around his neck in a hug. Surprised by her actions, Grant loosely returned it, trying to keep the startled expression off of his face. He hadn't expected a hug. He kept his gaze away from Lucas, knowing that all he would see was molten lava in Lucas' eyes (and quite possibly a promise of bodily pain).

"Grant. You're not slick." Maya muttered softly into his ear. "I know exactly what you're doing to Lucas. Thank you. I appreciate it. But it's a lost cause."

He was a little surprised by her admittance. And as she backed away from him, he could see the shrewd gleam in her eyes and realized maybe she wasn't as oblivious as she had acted and he had thought. Grant also realized that her "obliviousness" to other guys had most likely been for Lucas' sake, so he could finally get his head out of his ass and realize she was waiting for him to realize he liked her and ask her out.

How in the hell was Lucas so dense? It wasn't Maya who was oblivious. It was _Lucas_. No wonder Zay had wanted Grant's help. Still though, Grant knew he had done a job well done. There was no way Lucas would let this whole date thing slide.

Grant grinned. "Goodnight Maya. Maybe I'll see you again in the future."

She smiled secretively, though she was facing Lucas, holding his gaze. "Perhaps."

And Grant took that as his cue that it was time to get the hell away from Lucas before he decided to snap _him_ like a twig. Grant clapped Lucas on the shoulder, a bit patronizingly sure, but he had to do it to finish up the evening. He didn't like playing the bad guy, but if it helped his friends find happiness with their perfect girls, then he had no qualms (possibly) risking his life from their wrath by playing the part.

"I'll see you around, Lucas."

Grant walked away, subtly keeping an eye on them as he walked down the street. Then he stealthily stepped into an alleyway a little ways away from Lucas and Maya. Zay was waiting there, leaning out, watching the two.

"You sure you didn't mess this up?" Zay questioned, "He looks really pissed off."

Grant shot Zay an irritated glare as he crouched down. "Are you doubting me?"

"Sorry, sorry."

"Just watch magic happen."

Grant smoothed his hair back before also tilting to peer out the side. They were still staring at each other, Maya's face set in a neutral expression while Lucas was looking a bit more dejected than enraged now. If Grant's calculations were correct, Maya would say something in 5, 4, 3, 2,…

"What's up with you?" Maya said, crossing her arms in front of her chest, "You've been in a pissy mood all evening, and you kind of ruined my date."

"I haven't been in a bad mood." He growled.

"Yes you have." Maya scoffed. "Why did you crash my date anyway? If you were just going to be a grumpy butt all evening, there was no reason for you to even come."

"I had to make sure he wouldn't try anything. You don't know Grant like I do."

"So you came because you thought I would just hop into bed with someone I literally met two days ago?" Maya growled, her eyes narrowed dangerously, "Wow. Way to show me what you really think of me, Lucas."

Zay glanced at Grant. "Hey man… this is starting to look like a trainwr—mmmph!"

"Shhhh…" Grant muttered, pressing a finger to Zay's lips. "It's beginning."

All his work would come to fruition in this moment. Either Lucas rose to the occasion (so to speak) or everything Grant worked on would go to the dogs. Lucas had to get this right or he would probably lose Maya. Grant had done his part to bring Lucas to the point of being put on the spot, but now it was his turn to finish this up.

"You know what?" Maya rolled her eyes, shaking her head in disdain. "I have been unbelievably patient with you for so many years, but I'm starting to think I should just give up. Goodnight Lucas."

As Maya walked away, Lucas' hand shot out of his pocket, and he caught her hand, stopping her from leaving.

" _Oh_." Zay breathed out, his eyebrows lifting high on his forehead.

"Mmhmm." Grant said, smiling to himself.

Maya turned around with a start, staring up at Lucas in surprise, her eyes slightly widening.

"Lucas…"

"Maya, I'm sorry. I don't think of you that way." He sighed, walking up to her and shifting his hold on her hand so her smaller one was enclosed in his. "I just… I didn't think you would be into him. That you would _want_ to go out with him. I got jealous, and I acted like an ass. I'm sorry."

Her brows furrowed. "Lucas, I'm not into him. He's not my type."

Lucas said nothing, still staring down at her with that somewhat dejected look in his eyes. Maya sighed, running a hand through her hair.

"Listen to me because I'm only saying this once. My type is a guy who overcame his shady past and does everything in his power to make sure his friends are safe and happy. My type is a courageous guy who would move mountains for the people he loves and cherishes. My type is the guy who has supported me through thick and thin, protecting me and making sure I'm happy and reminding me that I am worth it whenever I forget. My type is the guy who showed me that it doesn't make me weak to rely on other people every once in a while. My type is the guy who I can be my messed up self around no matter what. I just wish he wasn't such a dense idiot and would realize already that I'm in love with him."

They fell into silence, Maya blinking up at him hopefully, slightly biting her lower lip. Grant knew he was holding his breath, his heart battering wildly in his chest as he waited for Lucas to respond.

And then with a small smile, Lucas wrapped an arm around Maya's waist, pulling her closer, and cupped Maya's cheek before leaning down and kissing her. Her eyes fluttered closed, and she kissed back, curling her fingers into the fabric of his shirt.

Grant and Zay let out happy sighs of relief at the same time, slumping against the wall, their hands on their hearts. That had to have been the most nervewracking scene Grant had ever witnessed in his entire life. For a few moments there, he had even doubted _himself._

"My work here is done." Grant said in satisfaction after taking one more peek at the two still languidly making out in front of the coffee store.

"Great job with Lucas and Maya." Zay said, straightening up and stretching. "I knew you were the right guy for the job."

"Thank you." Grant said, standing up and dusting off his pants. "So let's go. I have a flight in the early morning, and I'd like to get our next project done before midnight."

Zay frowned. "Next project?"

"Getting you with that doe eyed Bambi you obviously have a thing for. Lucas isn't the only dense idiot around here."


	56. Locked And Loaded

**A/N: There was a theme for some of my stories this week LOL :P See if you can figure out what it was. Also, you might have to use your imagination a bit for this one. Lol, I had to listen to a really dirty song to write this... Damn.  
**

 **Hi guest 2551! Though I am taking requests still, I am not particularly taking requests for full smut on account of the fact that it takes too long to write and I'm still working on specific pieces that I started _ages_ ago. Luckily, what you requested actually falls in line with something I'm already writing so it will be met, but generally if you request something for L &W, it's not going to be smut :)  
**

 **That actually goes for everyone though :) Any requests for anything smutty either will be written as a fade to black scene or won't be written for a looooong time. And by loooong time, I mean probably December or next year in 2016 because I write one of those like twice a month or so at most only _if_ I feel like getting more practice. Sorry! It really does take too long though so I don't prefer to focus on them as much.**

 **On queue:** **lucaya request for Lucas and Maya role reversal!** **  
**

 **Enjoy! Awww you guys are all so sweet! Seriously! Thank you for being so nice! I'm glad you guys enjoy my stories! Ahahaha I wasn't aware there were groups about me on tumblr so thank you for letting me know, but that just made my day. Honestly, I can't thank you all enough for everything you've done for me and for just being so supportive and wonderful and sweet, and I just want you guys to know that I love all of you guys! :)  
**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own GMW.**

* * *

 **Title: Locked And Loaded  
Pairings&Characters: ****Lucaya  
Genre: Angst, ****Romance, Humor,** **AU  
Rating: VERY High T for ******Trickster**** ** ** **s  
**** Summary: There's no better way to win than by deception. And she's got that skill on lock.  
**

 **Sequel to Letting Off Steam.  
**

* * *

"Maya…"

Their gazes locked, and Maya exhaled unsteadily, a ragged sigh escaping her lips, her mind going a bit hazy from the feel of his strong, muscular arms holding her on his lap. She arched into him, their gazes locked on each other as they slowly drove each other to insanity with each slow rock of their hips. It ignited something in her. A sweet, torturous, intoxicating burning between her legs from his hypnotic, sensual rhythm.

Maya knew her towel was riding up quite a bit, and it was barely covering her and she knew if it lifted up any higher, Lucas would get a clear visual of her nakedness. Lucas was really hard against her, and she knew he was only getting more turned on.

Exactly what she needed him to be.

She sucked in an uneven breath, leaning into him, tilting her head to give him more access when he left feathery soft, barely there kisses on her neck.

"Just fuck me Lucas…" she whispered breathlessly, "Let's just end this. Release the tension once and for all."

 _~Earlier that evening~_

It was apparent to Maya that this wasn't just a game anymore. Not after Lucas left her writhing on the floor of the sparring mat, so unbelievably turned on that until she took care of herself, everything had been too sensitive, her whole body experiencing spasms of arousal so sharp that walking back to her dorm had been a struggle.

No. It wasn't a game.

This was a _war_ to see how far they could push the other person until they snapped.

Clearly, Lucas had something of a physical advantage because his touch turned Maya on like nobody's business to the point where she had trouble breathing right. Just the thought of him touching her _anywhere_ got her wet. She couldn't even deny the fact that she still wanted him to fuck her so hard she saw stars. So if she wanted to win this thing, she couldn't really do anything while he still had that huge advantage. She had to _restrain_ him. If he couldn't touch her the way she wanted him to, then she could keep a clearer head.

But Maya had a _psychological_ advantage for sure. She knew she had invaded his mind. She knew he thought about her constantly. Lucas liked to play it cool, but she was very much aware of the way he looked at her body. The way he would stare at her, his gaze darkening and lingering on whatever skin she had exposed. Hell, even when she was wearing anything normal she could feel his eyes on her. He wanted her just as much as she wanted him. And she knew it wouldn't take much to turn him on if she so chose. He couldn't resist her. All it would take was a word maybe.

Or a false admittance for surrender.

Which was why she was standing in his dorm room wearing nothing but a small towel, waiting for him to come back to his room.

She knew he was in the shower after he'd spent the afternoon playing a pickup game of basketball with some of his friends. And since she was part of the large group chat that included acquaintances and other people who sometimes hung out with them, she also knew that after he was done, he was planning to move his TV to the common room of his floor so a bunch of their friends and a couple other guys from other dorms could all chill and watch the baseball game.

But that wasn't going to happen. Not if her plan played out the way she wanted it to. All she needed was for him to come back.

She didn't have to wait long.

Lucas walked back into his room a few minutes later, and Maya forced herself to keep her eyes on his face only, though she could already feel her body reacting. Lucas without a shirt? Sexy. Lucas without a shirt _and_ wearing a thin towel wrapped around his waist? Near impossible for her not to feel that sharp pang of arousal.

He froze when he saw her, his gaze slowly running up her body until he met her eyes. The door closed behind him, the sound jarring, and Maya felt tingles of pleasure from the fire burning in his gaze as he watched her. Maya crossed her arms in front of her chest, smirking in amusement.

Lucas' eyes narrowed, and he set his shower caddy on the floor before walking around her and picking up his aftershave from his desk.

"Why are you in my room, Maya?" he growled, applying some on his hands and putting it on his freshly shaven face.

Maya had to fight not to inhale deeply, and she turned around slowly, setting her face in a flirtatious smile as she faced him. Lucas' expression revealed nothing as he stared down at her.

"Lucas." she said, loving the way it seemed he couldn't help but look at her chest where the top of the towel rested, "I think this whole game is just us fighting what we really want from each other."

Lucas said nothing, his gaze growing suspicious. But no matter what he was trying to hide, Maya could easily see the desire in his gaze. Not to mention the fact that he was pitching a slight tent under his towel. Maya walked up to him, tilting her head up so she could hold his gaze.

"I just want to be fucked, Lucas."

"I know what you're doing. It's not going to work." Lucas said lowly, his fists clenched by his side.

She tilted her head to the side, a brow raised slightly. "Yeah?"

Maya leaned into him, sliding her hand up his chest and around the back of his neck before tugging him down. She pressed herself fully against him, bringing her lips to his ear.

Fuck, he smelled amazing.

Maya exhaled slowly, closing her eyes momentarily, relishing in the feel of his body against hers.

"Lucas… I want you." She breathed out, blowing into his ear. She trailed her other hand down, down past his chiseled abdomen, over the edge of his towel, hovering just above his growing arousal. "And I know you want me naked with my legs on your shoulders. You want to be inside me."

Maya relished in his slight shudder, the muscles of his shoulders stiffening minutely. He was almost involuntarily pushing his hips closer to her hand, no doubt wanting nothing more than for her to touch him.

She brought her hands back to his chest and led him backwards until his legs hit the edge of his bed and he sat down, staring up at her, his eyes burning with heat. It didn't take a genius to see that he was already sprouting a pretty intense erection. Maya approached him, climbing on his lap and grinding down on the hardness underneath her as she loosely wrapped her arms around his shoulders.

"Maya…"

Their gazes locked, and Maya exhaled unsteadily, a ragged sigh escaping her lips, her mind going a bit hazy from the feel of his strong, muscular arms holding her on his lap. She arched into him, their gazes locked on each other as they slowly drove each other to insanity with each slow rock of their hips. It ignited something in her. A sweet, torturous, intoxicating burning between her legs from his hypnotic, sensual rhythm.

Maya knew her towel was riding up quite a bit, and it was barely covering her and she knew if it lifted up any higher, Lucas would get a clear visual of her nakedness. Lucas was _really_ hard against her, and she knew he was only getting more turned on.

Exactly what she needed him to be.

She sucked in an uneven breath, leaning into him, tilting her head to give him more access when he left feathery soft, barely there kisses on her neck.

"Just fuck me Lucas…" she whispered breathlessly, "Let's just end this. Release the tension once and for all."

Lucas leaned back, searching her eyes for a moment, his breathing a bit laboured and heavy. Then he grasped her waist, lifting her up and laying her on his bed before crawling on top her. He settled his hips between her spread legs, and Maya hooked her legs around his waist, tugging him down so she could feel the weight of his body pressing her into the mattress.

They ground against each other, slowly and provocatively, Lucas' breathing against her neck harsh as he gripped her thighs. Maya wasn't faring much better, panting softly into his ear, threading a hand into his hair, the other splaying across his back. It felt unbelievably good, his arousal pressing persistently against her, pulsing against her all stiff and hot. Maya wasn't sure if she could even hold back and control herself. She wanted it. So badly. Her body was _craving_ for him to just yank off her towel and drive into her without hesitation. The friction from his towel and what she desperately wanted inside of her was only making her arousal worse.

But she did control herself.

Because one memory kept coming back to the forefront of her mind.

The front desk worker ogling her as she'd made her trek through the recreational center in just her underwear. Her dorm's evening lobby assistant gawking as she'd made the awkward walk to the elevator. The people pulling all-nighters to study for an exam in the common room gaping as she'd walked past them down the hall to her room.

Revenge would be so sweet.

"Lucas…"

She moaned in his ear, raising her hips closer to his, the pressure against her most sensitive spot feeling so unbelievably incredible. She had to _focus._ She had to keep her eye on the prize.

"Yeah…" He sounded distracted, his voice muffled and low and gravelly as he nipped the skin of her neck, his hand sliding up and down her thigh.

Just the right state of mind she needed him in.

She tugged on his shoulders, pulling him down and rising up, rolling him under her so she was straddling his hips. She leaned down until they were sharing the same air, letting her hair fall around them like a curtain as she stared down at him.

"I'm topping." She whispered against his lips.

His gaze was heady and pupils somewhat dilated as he stared up at her, his hands slowly trailing up her thighs, slipping under her towel and gliding over her ass. Holding his gaze, she loomed over him, pressing herself down on his throbbing erection, loving the way he momentarily closed his eyes, breathing out slowly.

She could feel how hard he was; how obviously turned on he was.

Rolling her hips slowly on him, she took one of his hands off of her hip, lifting it up above his head while pulling out one of the handcuffs she had hidden under his pillow. In a fluid motion, she locked it around his wrist and then the wooden rung of his bed. Lucas opened his eyes, looking a bit dazed, and he frowned, but his momentary confusion gave her the chance to do the same with his other hand.

And then she sat up completely, smiling mischievously as she ran a hand through her hair, pushing it out of her face. Lucas tilted his head back and looked up at his locked wrists before dropping his gaze back to her with a raised eyebrow.

"Maya." he said lowly with narrowed eyes, "Why the fuck did you handcuff me?"

She smirked. "You needed to be restrained."

"Take them off."

"Hmm... How about no?"

"Where's the key." He growled.

His eyes were gleaming with something heated and dangerous, and Maya felt a thrill of excitement as she gazed down at him. Seeing him like this was only making her want it even more. He tugged sharply on his binds, testing the hold on his wrist.

"Don't think I won't try to break this Maya. I will try. And I will get out."

She couldn't help the shiver of arousal that ran down her back at the thought of him possibly breaking it and catching her and shoving her onto the bed and just taking her however he wanted.

"As much as I would love to see that, I know you won't. You'd probably break your wrist first before the metal broke." Maya slid off of his lap, her gaze dropping to his bulging erection beneath his towel, biting her lower lip and forcing herself not to get back on him. "Or the bed will break and then have fun explaining to your RA when you need to place a work order to replace it _why_ you were handcuffed to your bed with a hard on."

Maya walked to his desk and snatched up his phone, putting in his password and then opening the group chat.

"Hey guys." Maya said as she typed, smirking at Lucas, "Change of plans. We're watching the game in my room. Stop by in three minutes. And send."

"Maya." Lucas snarled through grit teeth, his gaze threatening and fiery. "Let me go or finish what you started."

"Oh I don't think so. I mean, I had to walk back to my dorm at two in the morning in a sport's bra and underwear, painfully turned on and _wet._ A walk of shame I only got because of you. I think it's only fair if you also suffer shame in front of people you know."

"You already embarrassed me in front of people I know. Remember when we went camping?"

"Yes, but see. Those were our best friends. I got seen by people I barely know." Maya sat on his bed, hovering over him so closely that she could see the flecks of bronze in his eyes, her lips just brushing against his. "Does it hurt?"

She brushed her knuckles against his stiff, rock hard member, feeling satisfaction at the way his eyes flared with heat and air was forced from his lungs.

"You think giving me blue balls is a good idea, Maya…" Lucas murmured, deadly calm. "You're crossing a line in this game. You're not going to like the outcome."

"This isn't a game anymore, Huckleberry. And you shouldn't have left me hot and bothered like that."

His eyes were narrowed dangerously. He looked absolutely pissed, his eyes glinting in that way that turned Maya on so much. Maya _loved_ it. It was such a shame this was a revenge ploy. She would have wanted nothing more than to climb on his lap with him like this and ride him until she reached a threshold of ecstasy. But some things were more important than that.

Like her revenge.

"Maya… When I get out of this— _and I_ _will_ —you better run… because when I find you…"

"You'll what? Get revenge?" Maya said with a raised brow, climbing off the bed and tugging down her towel so it was at a more appropriate length. "Just try. Have fun getting out of those babies without a key."

Maya walked over to the corner of his room and pulled back on her sweatpants and her sweatshirt, almost shivering in pleasure when she felt Lucas' glare burning a hole into her back. She took a step towards the door and then stopped, her lips pulling up into a particularly vicious sneer.

"Oh, I almost forgot."

Maya whipped around and before he could even react, she snagged one edge of his towel and yanked it off with one sharp tug before tossing it over her shoulder and sauntering away. Lucas hissed through his teeth, most likely from the friction of the fabric against his boner. As much as she wanted her much coveted glimpse at his package, he was expecting guests soon, and it was about time she got out of there.

"Come and get me Lucas. I dare you." she said simply as she left his room, swinging her hips.

As his door closed, Lucas dropped his head back against his bed, trying to ignore the _painful_ throbbing he was experiencing. He couldn't even relieve the pressure himself because his arms were tied up.

She thought this was funny? Maya had no idea just how badly she'd fucked up.

She had no idea what he was going to do to her once he got out.

"Just you wait, Maya Hart…" He chuckled darkly to himself. "I will get you."


	57. Diary Of A Fashionista Wannabe

**A/N: Hi** **Pathoslogosethos! There actually is no follow up to 'Never Again' that can be written. That one is a finished one shot with no loose ends :/ I'm sorry, love! Do you have any other requests you possibly want instead?  
**

 **On queue:** **Isazu request for Maya moving in with Lucas!** **  
**

 **Enjoy! Thank you for the reviews you guys! I really appreciate it very much and it means so much to me that you guys are taking the time out of your busy schedules to comment. You all are the absolute sweetest and it always brings a smile to my face! :D  
**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own GMW.**

* * *

 **Title: Diary of a Fashionista Wannabe (Prologue)  
Pairings&Characters: ****Maya (OOC), "Columbia Cutie", Riley, Riarkle (mentions)  
Genre: Humor, ****Romance, Friendship,** **AU  
Rating: K+ for ********Kickass Ambitions!  
**** Summary: When I moved to Manhattan, I thought I'd have it all and everything would be easy. I could not have been more wrong.  
**

 **Request by lucaya for Maya moving to New York from Texas! This probably is nothing like what you expected, but I hope it's enjoyable nonetheless! Thank you for your request, love! :D  
**

 **BACKGROUND: ****So this is something of the prologue of a story I was considering writing in fall of 2014. It was supposed to be some screwed up mixture between The Nanny Diaries (the book, not that dreadful movie adaptation), The Devil Wears Prada, and Confessions of a Shopaholic LOL. I never got around to finishing the plot and then ditched the story because it was literally going nowhere and Maya's personification felt a little off to me, but I thought, why not share it anyway.**

 **It was supposed to be about Maya Hart, a determined 24 year old woman who moves to Manhattan (she was originally going to be from Wyoming, but I switched it to Texas for the request :D) with big dreams of reinventing herself in the city and owning her own fashion line, Hart's Couture, but she's broke as heck so Riley convinces her to create a small short term business as a pet nanny for the upper Manhattan families blah blah blah. She finally gets an internship at a super famous fashion line, but it's not all it's cracked up to be. Shenanigans ensue. I never got past the initial chapter so... yeah. I also tweaked/changed a couple things/lines because I couldn't stand my writing from back then and with some of these developments I can now add them, lol, but it's for the most part the same xD**

* * *

Dear Diary…

The name is Hart. _Maya Hart_. Remember that name because one day you'll be seeing it on every billboard in the city, and it's a name that will turn every head.

One day…

Of course that one day could actually be twenty years from now unless I get up from my lazy butt and started getting together a portfolio instead of spending all my time babysitting the pets of these unbelievably snooty women. I hate this job. The animals are sweet and cute and fun to play with, but their owners? _They_ need shock collars and leashes because they are the _worst._ I mean, who the hell gives caviar to a cat?! And no, I can't shop at a general market and get the caviar. Ooooh nooo. It has to be finely ground super high grade upper level imported from London whatever the hell this bitch said caviar.

Sorry.

Getting a little ahead of myself here.

Why don't I go back a bit?

Like I said, the name is Maya Hart. Born and raised in Middle of Nowhere Texas (which from here on out will be referred to as MOH. Middle of Nowhere. _Not_ Maid of Honour.) where my day started with the roosters and ended with the setting of the sun. I lived in a small farm town with a population of less than 1000 where everybody stayed for the rest of their lives. It was stagnant. It was _boring_. It just wasn't me.

Townsfolk thought I was crazy for always wanting to leave, but fact of the matter is, I've always been a big city kind of girl with big city dreams. I wanted to own my own fashion line. Hart's Couture (I know it's lame. Shut up. The name is definitely pending.) I wanted to be famous; I wanted to rise above what was expected of me in my town. Marrying Jackson, the boy I dated all through elementary school to our graduation in high school and even through college. Taking over my Gammy Hart's farm. Raising tons of blonde haired blue eyed babies to continue the tradition of no one leaving that damn town. Settling. Continuing traditions.

It wasn't for me.

And while all the people back home were okay with being stuck in that life, I just wanted to be free.

So when my long time penpal and my absolute BFWLIMDC (Best Friend Who Lives In My Dream City. Name also pending), Riley Matthews, convinced me to move in with her in New York City (all-expense paid for trip!) and share an apartment in the middle of Greenwich Village now that she finally moved out of her parent's place, how could I resist the opportunity? She said I could test out New York during the summer, see if I liked it and if I did, she could add me to the lease officially and I could move in.

What did I say?

What the hell do you think I said? Of course I said yes!

No one back home knew why I would even want to leave that life and I definitely got my fair share of odd looks and rude comments, but I did. I left. I ended things with Jackson, said goodbye to my mom and grandmother, packed all my stuff in one suitcase and sent it straight to Riley, and took a plane three days later to New York City!

My dreams were finally on their way.

Or so I thought.

When I got out of my cab, I wanted to sing 'Now's When My Life Begins' like Rapunzel finally escaping that tower, hands akimbo with bluebirds flying around me and shouting at the top of my lungs that I was finally in New York after dreaming about it for years.

That is, I _would_ _have_ …

If it hadn't been raining cats and dogs. And then to add insult to injury, I was splashed with street water by a damn cab, which soaked me to the bone. I dropped my cellphone, and it fell in a puddle and soaked up water and cut off. And _then_ as if that wasn't good enough, the heel of one of my prized Dolce  & Gabbana leopard print peep toed super pumps that I spent literally _four months_ saving up for to afford without putting myself into crippling debt got stuck in a crack on the sidewalk and the heel actually broke. I'd only worn them twice. I might as well have just thrown that money in the toilet. What an absolute waste!

Anyway, completely soaked, limping from one broken shoe with my makeup smeared all over my face, I got to Riley's apartment in one piece where I could finally change and enjoy the start of my dreams.

…

Do you really think that's how it went?

Hell no.

I got lost in the subway station trying to figure out how to get to Riley's apartment, not understanding the concept at all. We rode _tractors_ in my town. What the hell was this crazy contraption with all the lines and the switching and stuff! It was terrifying.

And then…

I was _mugged_ at the subway station.

Stupidly, I thought it would be a good idea to ask some teenagers for the right train line to get on. Next thing you know, there's a knife being pointed at me and I'm told to give them my wallet. Of course, I wasn't lying when I said I was completely broke. So I gave them my wallet, completely devoid of anything but my high school ID where my braces glinted off the screen and made it look like I was wearing grillz (which no one ever lets me live down! I really need to change my ID, but when you don't use cars and you've never left home and everybody knows you anyway, what's the point?).

Those boys tossed my empty wallet at me, along with two twenties telling me to go buy something nice because I apparently needed it.

(How rude! But hell to the yeah! Thanks for the cash!)

And joke was on them. I wasn't a sucker. I'd heard rumours about muggings so thinking ahead, I hid my cards and cellphone in my bra.

Thankfully, a nice old lady finally told me how to get to Riley's, and I was able to get there safe and sound and spend the rest of the afternoon curled up in a ball, trying to get rid of my sniffles and warm up. Riley thought the whole thing was hilarious, but she'd been sweet enough to make me a cup of hot cocoa and we spent the evening painting each other's nails and filling each other in on life stories that we hadn't gotten a chance to tell each other about.

(Riley apparently finally gave in and started dating the son of the diplomat, Farkle or something, that went to the same prep school as her growing up).

Needless to say, that day hadn't started well, but I woke up the next morning ready to begin my adventure. I curled and primped my hair, put on my cutest, most dazzling New York dress, slid on some high heeled pumps that no one in my town would ever _dare_ to wear (reasonably so... mucking fields in high heels is absolutely ridiculous) and decided to hit the streets with Riley and unleash the me that had been craving New York City life for years.

Except that Riley had to go see her brother in the hospital who got into some skateboarding accident trying to impress his prickly girlfriend, and she couldn't take her dog on a walk and asking yours truly to do the honours.

And so that's how I found myself at the park, taking care of Riley's newly purchased giant St. Bernard, Princess.

Joy.

Don't get me wrong. Princess is _adorable_ and sweet and fluffy, but let me paint you a picture here.

Maya Hart: Barely five feet without heels. Pint sized and can be lifted off the ground during harsh winds in storms. For lack of a better word, a midget.

Princess: GIANT ASS DOG.

Let me repeat that.

GIANT. ASS. DOG.

I could probably ride Princess without hurting her if I wanted to!

I'm sure you understand what that meant.

It wasn't so much that I was _walking_ Princess so much as I was flying behind her like a frickin' kite as she ran wildly around the public park. I was mercilessly tugged around and forced to go where she wanted and thrown about like a damn ragdoll. And worst of all was the fact that some other people in the park saw me struggling, yet did nothing but laugh.

And then Princess ran around _me_.

You're aware of the 101 Dalmatians, yes?

Remember that scene where Pongo ran around Anita and Roger and got his leash caught around their legs and they fell in the pond?

No, I didn't fall in a pond.

I fell onto a pile of _garbage bags_. And the leash broke and Princess ran around the area, barking up a storm.

(I swear she was laughing at me!)

Part of me wanted to stay in that pile for the rest of my life and just hoped that maybe if I wished hard enough, the day would start over and I could redo everything.

This was _tragic._

A travesty of epic proportions.

And then something magical happened.

Some tall guy wearing a Columbia baseball cap with the most gorgeous sea foam green eyes and super hot 'I want to lick him' face I have ever seen in my twenty-four years of life came out of the sky like a superhero (not actually. But he did come out of nowhere) and reached down, pulling me up to my feet as if I weighed nothing.

"Hey, you alright?"

Columbia Cutie, I called him. Get it? Because of the Columbia cap? And because he's… oh you get it.

He helped me unwrap the leash from my legs and took the banana peel off of my head. I was pretty sure my face was permanently red, but I tried to at least keep some semblance of my dignity by not drooling over his toned biceps and the sexy muscles on those arms.

"Yeah, I'm fine. Thanks to you, Superman."

So maybe my flirting skills needed work, but give me a break. I'd been dating the same guy for probably fourteen years. I hadn't had the time to properly learn good techniques.

"I don't suppose you have anything that can remove dirt from cashmere, do you?" I sighed, looking down at my grime covered clothing in disappointment.

This crap was expensive! Why was everything I owned getting messed up here?!

He grimaced. "Unfortunately, no. But I do know how to get frisky dogs to calm down a bit."

Columbia Cutie (who, henceforth, will be referred to as CC) brought his fingers to his lips and whistled pretty high, and as if summoned, Princess bounded over, stopping in between us with a loud _woof_ and licking my hand. I mock pouted angrily, leaning down and holding her face gingerly in my hands.

"Princess, you ruined my outfit." I muttered.

"Interesting choice of name." CC asked, bending down and rubbing her back. "Is Princess yours?"

"No. I'm watching Princess for a friend."

CC smiled at me, looking really amused. "You know he only tied you up because he wants to play with you though."

I frowned.

" _He_? Princess is a he?"

" _Yeah_." CC laughed, gesturing to Princess' underside. It took all of my willpower not to swoon at the sound. His laugh was gorgeous. Melodious and rich and jovial and just so _him_. "Pretty sure Princess is a he."

I felt so embarrassed, and I knew my face was turning red.

"But the fact that he's friendly with you means he likes you a lot. You must be a really good person."

"Oh… Well thanks." I said, tucking my wild hair behind my ear. "How do you know so much about well, dogs… and stuff?"

"Vet school. Cornell. I'm a veterinarian's assistant."

"Oh. So you just wear a Columbia cap for fun?"

"I did go to Columbia." He rose a brow. "For undergrad."

I wanted to hide under a rock. Life in MOH hadn't prepared me for associating and talking with super gorgeous and attractive New York guys with gorgeous eyes. This was my first real New York interaction and I was making an idiot of myself. Where was my wit and smarm and sarcasm when I needed them?! I was acting like a dumbass in front of the first guy who I had ever met who wasn't already nursing a beer belly or behaved like what one would call a stereotypical hillbilly.

"What about you? Mysterious blonde beauty who I've never met before. Did you go to school here?"

"Texas. But I dropped out." I said evenly, not at all ashamed of my decisions to leave school. People tended to look at me like I wasn't smart for my decisions and I wasn't going to let anyone, not even this super attractive hot ass guy who I was really unbelievably attracted to make me feel bad for making a decision for me. "College wasn't for me and my passion has always been fashion, and I wanted to go to fashion school and didn't feel like wasting any more time in a school I had no interest in. I'm not ashamed about dropping out. It doesn't make me any less smart, and I'll have you know I was on the dean's list all six semesters I was in college."

"Whoa. Calm down a bit." CC said with a grin, "There's nothing wrong with not going to college, Shortstack. I'm glad you've found your passion. Not many people ever truly figure out what they want to do."

"Oh."

What the hell was a shortstack anyway?

"Yeah." He looked amused. "So what brings you to New York all the way from Texas?"

"I'm just here for the summer. Unless I decide to move here."

His gaze turned warm as he watched me, a small smile on his face as he pulled his cell phone.

"Well, if you ever decide you want to stop babysitting Princess for a day." He handed me his phone. "You should give me your number so we can go out sometime."

Had he just…?

He had.

He honestly had.

And I would be lying if I said I wasn't tempted to jump up and down like an idiot. Or jump him. Either one I suppose.

"Okay." I played it cool, nonchalantly putting my number in and hoping he couldn't see my fingers shaking slightly in excitement.

"Great." CC called me and then ended it. "And now you have my number."

"Alright." I smiled. "I'm Maya by the way."

"Maya, huh? Beautiful name for a gorgeous woman. I'm…"

And that was the day I met Columbia Cutie, my future husband.

(Yes, my _actual_ future husband. I'm not just saying that because he's unbelievably attractive. We got married in the future. I became Mrs. Columbia Cutie).

But that's years away… Let's not get ahead of ourselves…

Anyway the point is, suddenly New York City was starting to look a whole lot better.

I only hoped that this one fortune in my dreary introduction to the Big Apple wasn't a fluke.

I guess we'll see.


	58. Home Is Where The Heart Is

**A/N: LOL for every one request I knock off, I get another three xDDD This is a mess ahahah! I'll be writing requests until December probably ahahah! :) But really, all of you guys' requests are really cute and funny and fun and it's great! I'm having a lot of fun figuring out how to twist requests and write them! Plus, t** **here is this huge onslaught of written Lucaya fics I haven't noticed and I want to read them all ahaha! But I can't find time! Urgh! Why is life trying to get in the way of my Lucaya obsession?!  
**

 **Also, I apologize if I've seemed under the weather and lethargic in my writing and in my responses and stuff :/ I _am_ under the weather once again. Knocked flat on my feet and I have five exams next week... So that being said, if I fall behind on anything (read: _everything_ ), it's because I have to take time off of my multis so I can focus on studying. But you better believe next Thursday I'm going to be updating like CRAZY (and that means EVERYTHING).**

 **On queue:** **lucayaf request for awkward Lucaya!** **  
**

 **Enjoy! I appreciate the reviews! You all are so sweet and it means so much to me that you guys are reading the stories! I really honestly thank you from the bottom of my heart and I thank you for always being so supportive and kind! :)  
**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own GMW.**

* * *

 **Title: Home Is Where The Heart Is  
Pairings&Characters: ****Maya, Lucas, Lucaya, Riley, Riarlie  
Genre: ****Romance, Angst, Hurt/Comfort, WAFF/Fluff,** **AU  
Rating: T for Trying To Decide** ** ** **  
****Summary: _"Where we love is home - home that our feet may leave, but not our hearts."_ ~Oliver Wendell Holmes, Sr.  
**

 **Sequel to World's Apart.**

 **Request by Isazu for Maya's life after moving in with Lucas after graduating from college. Thank you for the request, love! :D (To be revised later)  
**

* * *

 _"How was your day?" Lucas asked, fixing his tie and eyeing Maya warily as she stalked back into their living room._

 _"Fine." Maya grumbled, not altogether friendly._

 _Maya had been hoping he would have already left after she was done using the bathroom. She just wanted to draw with her music blasted at full volume. She didn't want to be bugged and she wasn't interested in talking to Lucas at the moment. She didn't even really want to see him at the moment either if she was going to be perfectly honest._

 _Lucas' brows furrowed, a brief look of irritation crossing his features._

 _"Okay. Well, what did you do while I was at my classes?"_

 _She shrugged indifferently, averting her gaze when she saw the flash of hurt on Lucas' face. She pulled out a chair at their table and plopped down in it, reopening her sketchbook to continue the idea she had been working on to possibly paint._

 _"Maya, what is going on with you?" Lucas growled in annoyance. "You've been in a bad mood for several days now. I don't know what to do anymore. And really, it's actually starting to get annoying."_

 _"What." Maya shot him a glare. "So just because I'm not all hunky-dory and smiles like every other damn person in Texas, suddenly I'm annoying?"_

 _"I never said_ you _were annoying."_

 _"It's implied." She snarled, dismissing him with a wave of her hand. "I've always been like this, Lucas. If you don't like it then maybe you should find some other perfect girl. There are plenty of options for you here, clearly."_

 _Lucas stared at her in shock, his expression taken aback and partially offended by her behaviour. She knew she was being particularly vengeful and bitchy, but Maya honestly was not feeling being nice at all. She just wanted to vent, and though it was too bad Lucas had to deal with her attitude, it was what it was._

 _"Options for me here, you say." he said slowly, eyes narrowed, "Is that what this is about? You resent me for being the reason you had to change your life because I couldn't move to New York for vet school?"_

 _"I never said that."_

 _"It's implied." He spat sharply back at her. "And I don't know if you're selectively deciding to forget, but_ you're _the one who decided you wanted to move here."_

 _Maya rolled her eyes, trying to save face though she was surprised he had pinpointed part of why she was upset. "But honestly, instead of getting irritated with me, you should be more appreciative of the fact that I decided to move for you."_

 _He stood in the living room for a few minutes, staring at her incredulously._

 _"I appreciate the sacrifice you made, Maya. I really do. And I'm glad you're here. You don't know how happy I am that you're here." Lucas sighed in frustration, finally sitting in the chair next from her. "But it's like you're not really here. You won't try to get to know the city because part of you really doesn't want to be here at all. And it's ruining things between us because you obviously resent me."_

 _Was he seriously trying to pin the blame on her?_

 _"Well so what?" Maya growled, narrowing her eyes. "You try packing up your entire life and moving to a new city!"_

 _"I have!" Lucas snapped, "Are you seriously forgetting that we met because I moved to New York in the first place?"_

 _"It's different! You had to because of your parents! You were younger, and you already planned to go back to Texas after you were done with high school." Maya spat, staring out of the window. "I built my whole life in New York. I was born there, grew up there, made all my friends there, went to college there, my best friend lives there… I'm entitled to want to be there too, you know?"_

 _Lucas stared at her for a moment, the expression in his eyes almost defeated. Maya felt shame and remorse for attacking him but she refused to hold back anything of how she felt._

 _"I get it Maya. I know…" Lucas nodded. "And that's why I know what's going on with you. You can't let go of New York, just like I couldn't let go of Texas. I never really let go of it, and I always intended to go back. And I think that's what you want too. You want to go back to New York."_

 _Maya's gaze shot to his in surprise, a little anxious from the underlying tone of surrender in his voice._

 _"Lucas, what are you saying?"_

 _It alarmed her. He only sounded that particular way when he was about to concede. It was a tone she heard when they had little couple's spats that usually meant she was about to win an argument, but the thing was this time, she knew that it wasn't a good thing. It scared her._

 _"I think… you should go back until you know for sure what you want."_

 _Maya's eyes widened in shock as her pulse started racing. He was letting her go? No. This was not the way it was supposed to go. Why was he giving up so easily?_

 _"Lucas, hold—"_

 _"Maya, I'll wait." Lucas said, slipping his hand in hers and giving her a soft squeeze, "And if you choose to stay in New York, I understand."_

 _"Lucas, stop jumping to conclusions. I never said I wanted to leave you!"_

 _"I know, Maya." He smiled slightly, "But you also don't want to be here with me. And I don't want to be some deplorable boyfriend who asks you to stay if that's not really what you want. Maya, I love you. But I also want you to be happy. If being in New York makes you happy, then I think you need to go back. At least until you figure out where it is you want to be."_

 _"Lucas…"_

 _"I have to go to my internship." Lucas stood up, sliding his hand out of hers and leaning down to give her a kiss on the crown of her head. "Maya… I do love you. So much I can't stand it. Whatever you decide, please don't forget that."_

 _He picked up his bag from beside the couch, giving her a small, wistful smile before he left their apartment. Maya slumped against the back of her chair, running a hand through her hair as the back of her eyes stung with tears._

 _Dammit._

* * *

Maya sighed for the umpteenth time that afternoon, absentmindedly toying with the string of the tea bag in her cup. She looked out of the window of the café at the New York traffic in the streets. She had her chin in her palm, trying to figure out why she still felt restless and unhappy even though she was now back in her home city.

Three weeks.

That's how long she had been in Texas with Lucas, and for those three weeks, she just didn't feel comfortable. She couldn't find her place.

The first week had been the most difficult.

Being in an unfamiliar place, not really knowing anyone, and not being able to do anything but basically stay in the apartment the whole time had been rough because truth be told, she was a little scared to venture out in an unknown city by herself. And though Lucas couldn't take time off of his internship the first couple of days, he had promised to take her out to some places when he had time and introduce her to people and show her around.

And he had of course.

He'd kept his promise, but Maya hadn't really tried to enjoy herself and there were occasions when she just didn't even want to leave the apartment, choosing to lounge around and trying to contact anyone in New York who was available. It got to the point where she was on the phone with her friends back home every day for several hours, always asking about what was new and happening. She honestly couldn't leave New York behind like that. It was always on her mind and there were some days when Maya just wanted to chill and hang out at Topanga's like usual. But she couldn't. There was no Topanga's in Texas. She didn't want to have to develop all these new spots either. And she knew why.

She hadn't been emotionally ready to leave New York yet, despite the fact that she knew in her heart that she was absolutely ready to spend the rest of her life with Lucas. She had no doubt if he asked her to marry him, despite the fact that they were fairly recent college graduates, she would say yes.

If they were in New York, that is…

She didn't know what it was, but she had struggled, changing her lifestyle entirely. Not to mention, since all her family and friends lived in New York, it was just hard overall. She frequently missed them and she knew she truly loved Lucas, but the move was harder than she expected.

She loved him so much it hurt, but sometimes she wondered if it was worth moving. Lucas had his whole life put together in Texas and had friends and people he knew. But Maya was that tag-along girlfriend. She felt lost and she desperately missed Riley.

Maybe it was pathetic that she'd barely been there a month, but in the end, she'd decided that ultimately, Lucas was right. She was in Texas, but she wasn't _in_ Texas. So she'd packed a bag and come back to New York to tie up loose ends and decide once and for all where she truly wanted to be. It scared her to think about what would happen if she realized she really did want to stay in New York and no doubt, Lucas was probably wondering if she was ever going to come back, but this was something that had to be done before she truly did start resenting Lucas and blaming him for her displeasure.

But since coming back, nothing felt the same. She still felt lost, she still didn't feel right. And New York wasn't the bright and sparkly city she remembered in her youth. It was strange. She'd hung out with Riley all week, having a great time and enjoying herself, but once again, she was feeling herself being restless and lost. Like she just wasn't there.

Her thoughts were interrupted when her cheerful best friend plopped down in the chair across from her in a flourish, her hair flying around and a wave of something bubbly and fruity assailing her nose.

"Alright, I've got forty minutes and then I need to meet Charlie for dinner." Riley said apologetically, "I'm sorry Maya. I love spending time with you, but I think he's been feeling neglected. He's more handsy than usual."

"Hmm…" Maya said noncommittally, still staring out at the street.

Riley sighed. "Alright Maya. Let's talk."

"About what?" Maya glanced at Riley when she heard her no nonsense business-y tone of voice.

"About the fact that you've been here a week and a half because you didn't feel comfortable in Texas, but you're definitely not even trying to enjoy your time here. Not to mention you've been talking about Lucas nonstop every time we hang out. What's going on with you? It's like you're still in Texas."

"Riley… I don't know what to do. Nothing is the same." Maya said, looking down at the table, "I don't want to be here. I don't want to be in Texas. Where do I want to be Riley? I just don't know anymore."

Riley contemplated her silently, her head slightly tilted as she considered what Maya said. Then she set her hand on Maya's, drawing her attention to her best friend. Riley was smiling secretively, in that way she did when she knew something someone else did not.

"It's actually pretty obvious to me." Riley said with a soft giggle. "Think about it Maya."

"Riley, I came back to New York _to_ think about it and to decide, but nothing is happening. I'm even more confused than I was before."

"Look at it this way. Where have we gone some of these past few days?"

Maya shrugged. "I don't know…"

"The locations Maya. We went to that dollar movie theater to watch classics. We went to the duck pond at the park. We went to that outdoor concert hosted at the place that smells like old dirty socks. We're at this café. What do they have in common?"

"They're my favourite places." Maya snorted, "So what?"

"Exactly." Riley said with a smile. "Now _why_ is this café your favourite? Why did you have so much fun at that movie theater? Why is the duck pond special? How did the outdoor concert place become a favourite spot?"

This café _was_ always her favourite. But it wasn't because she particularly enjoyed the day old coffees and teas. She liked it because during winter break when Lucas was done with exams, during her exam period, they would sit in a corner booth just studying, Lucas trying to distract her the whole time. The movie theater was one of the first date spots they'd gone to, and they spent most of the movie making out in the back. Whenever she and Lucas used to make emergency 4 AM ice cream runs back in high school, they would sit by the pond and talk. The concert venue was actually where she lost her virginity to Lucas in his truck when their adrenaline was high and they were turned on and sweaty from grinding on each other all night. In fact, now that she thought about it, aside from the people she knew from her life, she didn't really know why she particularly had an attachment to the city. New York was great, but only because of who she was able to spend time with in various places in the city.

New York's sparkle was gone. Because Lucas wasn't there…

Maya's eyes widened as she glanced up at Riley.

"Maya. Think. Who do you see in your future apartment you envision in your mind? Be it in Texas or New York or Paris or even Rome. Who do you always see sitting on the couch watching the game? Who do you always see yourself cuddling with?"

Lucas. It was always Lucas.

"It's him. It's Lucas." Maya said, her heart racing in her chest.

"And there's your answer Maya. It's not the city that you missed. It's all the time you spent with Lucas together in the city that you missed." Riley smiled. "So did you tell him yet?"

"No. I'm sitting here with—"

"Exactly! Why are you still here?"

Riley was right. She had to go back. She'd been away for almost two weeks and it was time to go back to Lucas. He'd been forced to wait long enough. Maya stood and rushed over to the other side of the table, hugging Riley tightly. Riley giggled, returning the embrace.

"I love you, you know that right?" Maya mumbled into her hair. "I know I was supposed to spend the whole week with you, but I've got to go back. I can't stay in New York."

"I know. I love you too, Maya." Riley smiled, rubbing her back. "But Lucas holds your heart. And you want to be with him in Texas right now."

Maya stepped back, smiling happily. "I do. I really do."

Riley nodded. "Come visit me sometime, okay Maya?"

"I will. Bye Riley."

Maya grabbed her bag and hurried out of the café, rushing to head back to her mom's place to grab her stuff. It was about high time she returned.

It didn't matter _where_ she lived.

Home was where her heart was.

And her home was where Lucas was. Because Lucas held her heart.

She knew now. She understood.

~.~.~

Maya unlocked the door of their apartment and pushed anxiously inside, looking around. Lucas was sitting on the couch reviewing over some notes while an old game was playing, but when the heel of her pump clacked against the tiles of the foyer, he turned in her direction. When he saw her, his brows rose in surprise.

"Maya… You're back."

"Hey." Maya said, setting her bag on the floor and walking around the couch where he was anxiously watching her, no doubt trying to gauge whether she had decided to stay or leave.

And her heart almost broke at his reservations and the anxiousness in his eyes. She loved him. She loved him so much she didn't understand how she could have ever resented him for even a second. The problem had been her the whole time.

Before he could open his mouth to say anything, Maya leaned down and wrapped her arms around his neck, hugging him tightly, knowing tears were trickling down her eyes. Lucas didn't respond for a few seconds, a bit stiff, but then his arms came up and he returned it, relaxing in her hold and breathing her in.

"I'm sorry…" Maya whispered through her tears. "I'm so sorry, Lucas. I know I've been all over the place the past month, but I'm okay now. I understand it now. I no longer need time to figure things out in New York."

She pulled back slightly and kissed him, trying to get him to see how sincere she was. He returned it, his hand sliding down to her back to hold her steady. It was warm and sweet, and Maya almost whimpered from the gentle way Lucas' mouth moved with hers, as if he was confirming to her that he forgave her. That he loved her just the same.

"Does that mean you're staying?" He asked against her lips, his expression hopeful.

"I am staying. Because I love you. I'm ready to make this work, Lucas. I can fully be here with you now."

He searched her eyes for a moment and then smiled, reaching over to his textbook on the coffee table and shutting it. Then he grasped her waist and pulled her to him so she was straddling his lap.

"Then can we finally start our life together?" he asked, sea foam green eyes dancing with warmth and affection.

Maya nodded, sniffling as she cradled his face in her hands and leaned her forehead on his.

Honestly, she didn't know why she had been so terrible to him. Lucas hadn't deserved it at all. She had only been mad because they couldn't spend as much time together as she wanted them too. She wanted to be the sole focus in his life. And while she was still figuring out how to do things in Texas, she had felt neglected and had been hoping that he would put his life on hold for her to get used to life there. She had thought moving to Texas would be them spending every waking moment together, but spending time with Riley, she had definitely realized that everyone had a lot of things going on in their lives and to want to occupy all their time was selfish.

She had been way too selfish with Lucas. Yet he had been patient, waiting for her to finally figure out her own issues. He'd waited for so long.

But no more. Now that she knew how she felt and where she wanted to be, it was time for her Texas debut.

"We can." She confirmed.

"Good, because I did have a couple things in mind to commemorate it." Lucas said, setting Maya so she was lying on the couch before looming over her, a smirk on his lips as he toyed with the hem of her top.

"Oh yeah?" Maya asked flirtatiously. "Like what?"

Lucas' gaze darkened the slightest bit.

"Well… it's been a little over a month since we moved in together." he muttered suggestively, dropping light kisses along the column of her neck, "And I don't think we've christened every single room and every single surface in the apartment yet…"

"Well then. I think we better get started…"

They would always have their issues. They were _them_ after all. It was a part of who they were.

But Maya knew she could count on the fact that no matter the issue, no matter the problem, no matter how many fights they got into, everything would always work out.

They would always figure it out.

She had faith they would.


	59. Caught In The Act (x2)

**A/N: Hey guys! Check my chapter progress bar on my profile for information as to why I will not be updating multi chaptered fics for about a week!  
**

 **Hi BookOwl3! Thank you! You're so sweet, but I am so sorry love! As much as I want to alleviate that heartbreaking ending (and I do! I really do! So badly), I cannot because I feel like that would be wrecking the essence of the angstyness of those fics. I feel terrible about it, but if you have any other requests you would like instead, I would be wholeheartedly happy to fulfill it! Thank you!**

 **On queue:** **Guest request for Lucas' musings on Maya's current style.** **  
**

 **Enjoy! Thank you for the sweet reviews you guys! I really appreciate it! You all are so sweet, and I thank you always for the kind words and support especially during this stressful time! :)  
**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own GMW.**

* * *

 **Title: Caught In The Act (x2)  
Pairings&Characters: Lucaya, Maya, Lucas, Shawn, Katy, Shaty  
Genre: Humor, Angst, Romance, canon to AU future  
Rating: High T for Turning Stomachs  
Summary: Awwwwwwkwwwwaaaaaarrrrrddddddd...**

 **Sequel to Caught In The Act (31). I REMEMBERED WHOOOO!  
**

 **Request by lucayaf for Lucaya/Shaty awkwardness. Hope I did your scenario justice! I got a little lazy with this one. I'm sorry ahaha! Thank you for the request, love! :3**

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"Were you jealous all night, Huckleberry?" Maya teased, walking backwards and laughing at Lucas' raised brow, his hands in his pockets as he shrugged.

"What do you think?" Lucas responded, stopping when they reached her apartment door. "You kept getting hit on by every guy."

"Not my fault your girlfriend is a nice piece of ass." Maya said, tossing her hair over her shoulder as she tested the knob. "And has a nice ass, might I add."

It was unlocked. Her mother had probably forgotten to lock it before she went to bed.

"It _was_ your fault for wearing that outfit tonight." Lucas growled behind her, his hands sliding on the exposed skin of her waist as he spoke lowly in her ear, licking the shell of her ear. "But I do agree about the ass…"

Maya felt chills run down her back, and she leaned into him, pressing herself against the hardness poking into her lower back to rile him up. Seeing as how he'd been unable to keep his hands off her the entire subway ride and since he'd walked her home, she figured it wouldn't take much to get him in the right kind of mood. Though she already suspected he was there anyway. Hell, he'd probably been in the mood since he showed up earlier that evening and she walked out of her room, and his eyes hadn't been able to leave her legs. Or her ass. Or her tits. Really any part of her.

She just wanted to fuck all night. And seeing as how her mother was asleep, it wouldn't be too difficult to sneak Lucas into her room. And as long as they didn't make too much noise, they also wouldn't get caught. Though, considering how rough she and Lucas got with each other most times they had sex, that could potentially be difficult.

"So then…" Maya said flirtatiously, turning around and slipping her arms around her boyfriend's neck. "I guess I'll see you tomorrow?"

"If you really want me to go." Lucas murmured against her lips with a slight smirk. "But we both know that's not what you want…"

Her gaze flickered briefly to his lips before she dragged her eyes back up to his. Lucas' smirk grew, his gaze darkening as he stared down at her.

"That's what I thought."

"Shut up and kiss me."

Lucas claimed her mouth in a feverish, intoxicating kiss, hooking his fingers into the belt loops of her shorts and pulling her flush against him. His tongue slipped between her lips, tangling sensually with hers as he pushed open the apartment door. She grabbed hold of his collar, tugging him in after her as they entered, his hands traveling down her side, caressing her skin. Maya slid her hands to his chest, roughly unbuttoning the buttons of Lucas' shirt, loving the way his hands on the naked skin of her waist were sending ripples of pleasure between her legs.

Lucas' hands trailed down to her ass and he squeezed her, eliciting a soft groan from her lips as he lifted her up and set her on the island counter. Maya wrapped her legs around him, tugging him closer as he pulled her top up, tugging it up and over her head before dropping it on the floor. He captured her lips again with a hungry urgency, yanking her hips forward as she toggled with his belt, her fingers fumbling a bit to remove the obstruction and shove down his pants. His hand found it's way under the material of her bra, cupping her breast, squeezing her, massaging her.

Maya's breathing harshened as Lucas dragged his lips down to her neck, letting out a little whimper as he sucked on the sensitive part of her neck. She was losing her mind, her thoughts dancing and unfocused as he pressed his crotch against her center, rhythmically grinding against her and teasing the shit out of her when she could feel his hot, thick erection right where she needed it.

"Lucas, stop teasing…" Maya breathed out raggedly, closing her eyes as she arched her hips closer to him. "Just fuck me already. I need you inside me."

"Yeah?" Lucas gave her a mischievous smile, sliding his hand between them and under the waistband of her shorts, stroking her entrance slowly.

Maya's breath hitched and she clutched his shoulders, her legs trembling as he slipped a finger inside her, pumping slowly as her body came to life.

She felt delirious.

She was finding it harder and harder to breath normally, her breathing escalating as Lucas continued his ministrations, teasing her, shockwaves of electricity dancing through her body as the tight coils of pressure began to build in her core. He brought his lips back to hers, sucking her bottom lip in between his teeth before letting go, his gaze darkened and expression downright indecent.

"Maya, come for me…" he murmured.

Maya knew she was whimpering, fighting and straining to catch her breath, spiraling and falling apart at the seams as the fire between her legs started to reach its peak. She was very quickly being driven to ecstasy. It was almost too much at once; his hands, his mouth, his scent. She was losing it.

And that's when she heard a moan.

A moan she _knew_ had definitely not come from her.

It came from the couch.

Maya frowned, turning her head towards the couch in a slight daze.

And saw her mom.

On the couch.

In just her bra.

Under Shawn.

Who was naked.

And had her legs on his shoulders.

There was a moment when Maya just froze, her heartbeat drumming in her ears as her eyes widened slowly.

Oh hell no...

" _What the fuck_!" Maya screamed.

"What?!" Lucas snapped his gaze to hers in alarm.

When he saw what direction she was looking in, he turned his head and his eyebrows skipped in shock. And then Katy looked up in alarm from the noise and saw them.

She screamed in surprise, shoving Shawn off of her who tumbled off of the couch and crashed onto the ground with a pained grunt.

"Maya! Why are you home?!"

"Because it's two in the morning, Mom!" Maya shouted, pushing Lucas' hands out from under her clothes and hopping off of the kitchen counter as she hastened to rearrange herself, "The concert already ended!"

Katy sat up. "Oh my…"

"Mom what the fuck?! Put on some clothes!"

"What exactly did you see?" Shawn asked, groaning from somewhere on the ground.

"What the hell do you think I saw? You, her, fused together! Lips, tongue, _hands_! Grown man penis and balls!" She ran her hands through her hair, "I can never unsee this again! I'm blind!"

"Maya, honestly. I don't know why you're freaking out so much. It was just the tip. And it's not like you've never seen a—"

"Mom shut up."

"And anyway sex is a natural order of life. It's not uncommon." Katy continued as she quickly pulled on the top draped on the back of the couch, "Look baby girl. When you get to be my age there are times when—"

Maya clamped her hands above her ears.

"No! Stop! I don't want to hear it. This is already fucking nasty enough as it is! I can never sit on that couch again!"

"You know," Katy pointed out, tugging on her panties, "You were on the verge of having sex where we eat dinner. You don't hear me freaking out."

Maya blushed to her roots, hurrying to put her shirt back on. "I need bleach for my eyes!"

Lucas just looked utterly embarrassed.

"Maya, c'mon. Look on the bright side. At least you've finally experienced that rite of passage that every teen goes through. You've walked in on your mom."

"Can you please just put on your pants, Mom?!"

"Now honey… There's no reason to be so awkward about it all. Do you see me freaking out over the fact that you're barely dressed and your boyfriend's pants are at his ankles?" She turned to him with a smile. "Hi Lucas. You're pitching quite a tent. You might want to pull up your pants."

Lucas stooped to grab his pants and pulled them up, his face unbelievably red. Maya wanted to crawl under a rock and never come out. Why did crazy shit like this only ever happen to her?!

"Friar's here?" Shawn growled, standing up slowly, his furious gaze trained on him. "You've got a lot of nerve daring to show your face here."

Lucas swallowed thickly, cursing softly under his breath. Maya groaned, facepalming and wondering if things could get any more awkward.

"Sir, there's a perfectly good explanation for this."

"What explanation? That you were about to stick your filthy co—"

" _Shawn_." Katy chastised.

"—schlong in Maya?" Shawn snarled. "I warned you what would happen if I saw you doing anything with Maya again!"

"With all due respect sir. And I mean this with all the respect I could possibly give you." Lucas said, eyeing the door as he inched his way closer to it. "But could you please put on your boxers or something?"

Everyone's gazes turned to Shawn, who indeed wasn't wearing any pants or boxers. Eyes widening the slightest bit, Shawn shot to the ground, snatching up his boxers and stumbling to put them on.

"You think you're safe?" Shawn menaced, hopping around to get his foot in one of the holes. "As soon as I get these boxers on, I'm coming after you!"

"Right…"

And Lucas tore out of the apartment, not waiting another second. Shawn quickly grabbed a broom from the kitchen, running out of the door and down the hall after him. Maya and Katy both stared out the door, watching as Shawn chased after Lucas in nothing but his boxers.

"Well. There go both our date nights…" Maya grumbled.

Katy glanced at her. "Did you at least get to orgasm once?"

Maya stared at her.

"…I'm staying at Riley's for the rest of the month, Mom."


	60. Musings On Fusions

**A/N: Sorry about the absence. I really had a rough weekend to the point where I had to postpone writing in order to take care of my health, but I'm back so it's all good! And I've officially finished all July requests! WHOOOO! Now on to August lol!  
**

 **I would also like to point out that for this oneshot there are references to GM Yearbook, but I haven't seen it in full yet, so if anything seems off or wrong, just ignore it please ahaha. Requests using slightly canon stuff from S2 are difficult to write because I kind of have to use speculation as opposed to fact from the show.**

 **On queue:** **3.14159265358979 request for Lucaya middle school moment!**

 **Enjoy! Thanks you guys for being so sweet! I really appreciate the support and the great requests! You guys are wonderful and awesome and I can't thank you enough for helping me get to where I am in writing! You guys are lovely :)  
**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own GMW.**

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 **Title: Musings On Fusions  
Pairings&Characters: Lucas, Maya  
Genre: Friendship, Idk wtf this is..., canon compliant  
Rating: K for K?! WHAT?! I WROTE SOMETHING WITHOUT VULGARITY OR CURSING?! Guys, I'm losing my mind...  
Summary: Lucas wonders about Maya's style.  
**

 **Request by Guest for drabble about how Maya's new look would suit her in Texas. Your prompt was actually one of the more difficult ones for various reasons, so I did what I always do with difficult prompts. I word vomited the crap out of it without paying attention to anything I wrote. Hope it works out and sorry if it sucks! Thank you for the request! :D  
**

* * *

Lucas had known Maya Hart about a year and a half since he moved from Texas to New York City. A whole year and a half of teasing jabs, exasperation, weird moments of understanding and protecting each other, and trying to figure out whether or not they were friends.

And despite it being a year, he still didn't know that much about her save for her obsessive crush on Riley's uncle and a bit of her family situation that he had figured out from context clues and putting the pieces together. It wasn't really his fault or hers. He just hung out more with Farkle and aside from his relationship with Riley, Maya never had a reason to approach him or for them to converse. Plus, he sometimes got the vibe that she was dismissing him as a possibility of a friend for whatever reason.

She was confusing.

Ever since the moment she'd approached him on the subway and had a ten second relationship with him, she was utterly confusing.

And of her most confusing aspects, he had to say her clothes and the way she dressed was pretty high up there.

Maya Hart's outfits in a nutshell consisted of ripped, baggy jeans, old, worn, and frayed band t-shirts, leather jackets, combat boots, and generally clothes he considered to be somewhat on the edgy side. But there were also some days when she would dress more girly, her tops shiny and more along the cute side, her jeans more form fitting, her jackets more clean cut.

It wasn't like he was born a country bumpkin and didn't know styles of the city, because honestly, her style wasn't anything much crazier or zanier than what some people in Austin wore, but honestly, he could say without a doubt he had never seen anyone dress like her. Neither the city folk in midtown and downtown Austin nor the country folk who lived near Pappy Joe's ranch. Because Maya's style _was_ different. Even when she dressed more similarly to normal clothing people wore, it was still different. Maya's style honestly was one of the strangest things he had seen. He couldn't describe it exactly; he figured her outfits changed more on a mood based level. Kind of a day to day thing and how she was feeling.

And honestly, he kind of liked it.

It exemplified New York. It exemplified _her_ too. Risky and a little untamed. Beautiful but at the same time rough and a bit choppy. Sometimes mismatched and just falling short of outright crazy. But it was her. She made it work. He figured it worked on her just because it was _Maya_ wearing those clothes and if anyone else tried they would look hella crazy. Lucas grew used to it, thinking it suited his (something like a maybe sort of?) friend.

So when he'd gone to the Matthews' apartment on request of Riley to be a distraction for Maya and to tie her up on her birthday, he had been a little shocked to see her outfit. Again, it wasn't totally not her, but having been used to seeing her cover her legs in tights or only show splashes of her legs through the holes in her pants, it was particularly surprising to see her wearing a somewhat short, tight dress with the fishnet sleeves. It wasn't exactly formfitting, but it wasn't _not_ formfitting, and Lucas was once again left in awe at Maya's almost effortless ability to change what she wore as she pleased and always make it work. He would be lying if he said he didn't like the look on her, particularly those heeled boots, which he believed really suited her. He was tempted to make a quip about how she could finally see over his shoulders, but they weren't particularly close, and he wasn't sure how she would take a comment like that. He stored the height joke away for later, perhaps if they became closer.

But as he looped that rope around her body and then rushed to tie her up before she caught on and scratched out his eyes, a random thought passed him. A really brief, random thought in amusement while he made sure the rope stayed on the testy, short little stack of pancakes.

 _I could never see Maya riding a horse in this_.

It was completely random and made no sense in the context of the situation at all.

But that one thought persisted every time she showed up to class in any outfit and before he knew it, he started categorizing Maya's outfits, trying to imagine if she could really do anything on Pappy Joe's ranch in her clothes. And thus, the 'Could Maya's look suit life on a ranch?' game began.

If you asked him why that particular question, he wouldn't be able to properly answer. Or rather, the implications of that question never really would cross his mind. (Until later. Way later).

The way it worked was at the beginning of history, he would assess her outfit and then put a tally in one of three columns. There was no, obviously for outfits like the one she'd worn on her birthday: tight skirts and higher heels. There was sort of/maybe/hard to tell for her mélange outfits where she wore jeans but she'd top it off with something tight on top or cute that would most likely get ruined. And there was yes, which he had yet to see and doubted he ever would.

It became habit, just a fun little way to pass the first minute of class. He just did it; he didn't really think about it. And by the end of seventh grade, as Lucas expected, Maya had filled the no column to the brim with about ten percent of her outfits going into the maybe column. It continued into their final year of junior high.

And then Maya changed her style in the middle of eighth grade year.

It was a pleasant surprise.

She wore slightly more girly and definitely more expensive clothing; less of her band tees, more heeled shoes that weren't necessarily boots, showed more leg (which he wouldn't lie. He did enjoy the little glimpses of leg she had taken to showing more recently. He was fifteen. What did people expect?). It wasn't a _total_ change. There were still times when she would crank out the heeled boots, ripped jeans or band tees and snazzy jackets and incorporate them in her cuter outfits. Most people would call it "classing up", he supposed. He likened the change to the aging of wine in a way. It was the same thing, just a more refined, defined, and solidified version of her taste in clothing.

It took a bit to get used to the change because it was such a far cry from her style when she was younger, but Lucas got used to it. Because strangely enough, it was still _her._ She still made it work. Even though her style was fancier than her previous look, it was still out there and hard to describe and a testament to who Maya was. He still believed if anyone else dressed that way, they wouldn't be able to pull off the look. But once again, he figured he only believed that because of something in his mind that he now called the 'Maya Effect'.

(The Maya Effect in essence was Lucas' belief that certain things and behaviour that would normally bug him or make him think were ridiculous, he found okay and even amusing only because it was Maya who did them. And again, he didn't understand the implication, though he had a feeling deep down that if he really took the time to sit down and think about it, he'd know why).

Either way, his 'Could Maya's look suit life on a ranch?' game continued, though now the 'No' column was growing exponentially and seemed to be the only one being filled up.

Until she showed up to school in a red dress.

And a pair of _heeled cowboy boots_.

Forest green with a golden design adorning the top.

He had to do a double take for a second, wondering if his eyes were deceiving him because there was no way _Maya Hart_ , who frequently and constantly poked fun at his Texan heritage would buy and wear shoes that just about exemplified it. He almost questioned her on it, but ultimately decided not to, seeing as how his friends were in crisis and there were more pressing things to attend to.

He was tempted to put that day's outfit in the yes column, but the dress moved it to the maybe instead.

But it wasn't the last time she wore those boots.

A short while later, quite a handful of months before semi-formal, Maya wore them again. This time pairing them with ripped jeans and some suede vest that looked straight out of a western movie.

Lucas' jaw almost dropped, completely aware of his slightly increasing heart rate when she plopped in her seat in front of him.

Not just because this was the very first outfit that Lucas had finally been able to put in the yes column, but also because he knew that if she tossed on a cowboy hat on her head, she would have the perfect look for being on a ranch.

It surprised him that he could very clearly see her atop a horse or sitting in a hammock overlooking the sunset and playing her guitar. But what surprised him the most was the very brief, _almost_ image that materialized in his mind of him riding alongside Maya and him watching the sunset with Maya.

It was shocking.

And it wasn't the last time she'd worn the boots and matched them with the perfect outfit for life on a ranch.

By the time the week of semi-formal rolled around, she had five tallies in the yes column. And Lucas was left wondering if that column would fill up even more in the future. If throughout the years, he'd see more of this spontaneous, New Yorken cowgirl fusion of hers that made his lips quirk up in a smile and made it hard to take his eyes off her.

This was Maya. His good friend and the girl who embodied New York City in every way who made fun of him for his Texan roots and ha-hurred in his face who he had never believed would ever be interested in anything remotely "cowboy" or "Texas" related. And here she was wearing some cowboy boots with outfits just shy of being straight cowgirl.

It was truly shocking.

If he thought about it— _really_ thought about it—Maya's occasional cowgirl look really _did_ suit life on a ranch.

And he didn't know why, but that thought excited him.


	61. Why Do Boys Fall In Love With Girls

**A/N: If anyone is confused, the request by 3.14159265358979 has been written and is called 'Sacrifices' and has been published outside L &W because of length.  
**

 **SPOILER if you haven't seen all the Texas PROMOS: But guys... Maya dumping the smoothie on his head though lol! I got inordinately excited! I predict they are about to get into a smoothie fight! There's one next to Lucas too. I bet you he's going to pick it up and pour it on her head too! But before I continue, I want to try an experiment to see how many people actually read these rambles of mine LOL. So in your review, if you choose to leave one, sign it at the bottom with 'banana nut muffin'. Anyway it'll just be an absolute trainwreck and Lucaya might even start arguing or bickering and then Zay says "I can't look away!" because it's such a chaotic mess yet he just can't take his eyes off of how hilarious the fight is. (And they'll stop and stare at each other with these little, exasperated smiles and it'll be like a 'wtf are we doing' moment and I'm going to get heart eyes). I'm wrong hahahahaha, but I would love to see that!  
**

 **On queue:** **KrazyKakes request for Lucas keeping Maya company!**

 **Enjoy! Thank you so much for being so sweet and fabulous and just all around some of the coolest people I have ever met. Honestly, this school term has started out difficult for me for various reasons, but I can always count on you guys to bring smiles on my face no matter what. Thank you for being the amazing people you all are! I love you all! :D  
**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own GMW.**

* * *

 **Title: Why Do Boys Fall In Love With Girls  
Pairings&Characters: Lucas, Maya, Lucaya** **  
Genre: Romance, Friendship,** **Hurt/Comfort,** **Angst, Drama, Humor, WAFF/Fluff, AU  
Rating: T for Torpid Descents Into L'Amour  
Summary: Little moments leading to Lucas falling in love.  
**

 **Request by Guest for 'Why Do Boys Fall In Love With Girls' Lucaya edition. Thank you for the request, love! :D  
**

 **Request by Loveex3 for Maya's father deciding to come back. It's funny that you requested it when you did because it kind of falls in line with this oneshot! Thanks for the request! :3**

* * *

 **1\. They always smell good even if it's just shampoo.**

Lucas should have been focusing on the Pre-Calculus test in front of him.

He knew he should have been.

But he just couldn't.

He was distracted out of his mind because of Maya.

It wasn't like she was doing anything particularly conspicuous. It wasn't like she was wearing that off the shoulder sweater again and giving him a peek of the smooth skin of her shoulder. It wasn't like she was wearing that expensive perfume she'd gotten from Katy as a Christmas gift that made Lucas just want to hold her and inhale deeply.

It was her hair.

She'd neglected to get her haircut for a while, so her hair was longer the usual, almost falling below her waist. He loved days when they had tests because Maya would spend the entire night cramming and wouldn't have time in the morning to brush her hair or do anything with it after her shampoo. Because of that, it would fall into its natural, tousled waves.

And Lucas loved when it got like that. Wild and untamed and fluffy and flowing around her like a curtain. It would tumble onto his desk, covering his papers and books and Lucas was left itching to touch it.

Like he was now.

He didn't know what it was about Maya's hair but he loved it. Particularly because it always smelled great; like strawberries. It was a scent he had come to associate with Maya and every time a wave washed over him, he stopped working out a problem on his test and sat there in a bit of a daze, relishing in the pleasant aroma. Maybe it was creepy; maybe he had a problem, but could you blame him? Maya always smelled good.

"Mr. Friar."

He snapped out of his daze when Mrs. Owens called him out from the front of the classroom.

"Ma'am?"

"What seems to be the problem?"

"There's no problem, ma'am."

"Then perhaps you should stop sniffing Miss Hart's hair and try to finish your test?"

The class erupted in snickers and snorts. Lucas could feel his face burn with a blush as Maya turned around and gave him an odd look. He stared down at his paper, avoiding her gaze in mortification until she turned back around.

And then the scent of strawberry filled his nose again, and Lucas mentally groaned.

He was so going to fail this test.

 **2\. The way their heads always find the right spot on our shoulder.**

Fridays With Friends (FWF) was a plan devised by Riley during the second semester of their freshman year three years ago in order to ensure that they all kept up with each other's lives despite being involved in other extracurricular activities and making new friends outside of their old group. The second Friday of every month, they rotated turns, choosing an activity that the group would all do together.

That Friday had been Zay's turn, who'd decided to go with a horror movie at his place only because watching Farkle and Riley freak out made him laugh like nothing else.

It was a movie that Lucas had already seen with some friends on the baseball team so he wasn't particularly interested. And clearly neither was Maya, who was texting her boyfriend Aiden in boredom.

This went on for a while, Lucas passively watching the movie, slightly bored and not really paying attention. In fact, if he were to be perfectly honest, _Zay_ seemed to be the only person who was enjoying himself. And even he wasn't enjoying the movie, but rather the reactions of the two.

Then Lucas felt a weight hit his shoulder, the scent of strawberry filling his nose shortly after. He glanced at Maya, who was blinking sleepily and had snuggled into him. Lucas smiled to himself. Maya always did seem to find the right spot in the crook of his neck and shoulder without trouble.

He didn't say anything, lest he break the spell, and shortly after, he could hear her deep, even breaths as she dozed off.

 **3\. How cute they look when they're asleep.**

Lucas wasn't a fan of their APUSH class.

Their teacher was particularly fond of his 'Tasks', these huge packets of homework spanning the entire chapter with fill in the blanks and multiple choice and matching that was gone over as a class the lecture before their exam. Of course, the idea was that as they went through the chapter, they were supposed to fill it out, but everyone pretty much procrastinated and put it off until the night before it was due.

Which was why Lucas was sitting on Maya's floor, and they were trying to finish up their Tasks. To make it faster, they'd decided to split the work with Lucas handling the first half and her doing the second. Then they would swap answers.

He put the finishing touches on his half, checking the clock on her desk and seeing it was just about two in the morning which honestly wasn't bad for the one hundred something problems they had to work on.

"Hey Maya. You almost done?"

His question was met with silence, and Lucas frowned, turning around and wondering why she hadn't answered.

Maya was sleeping soundly on top of her blanket. Her mouth was wide open, her limbs are splayed everywhere, and she had drool collecting on the corner of her mouth. Under normal circumstances, it would have been hilarious and Lucas would have laughed, but there was just something really cute about the way Maya slept unabashedly, as if she didn't have a care in the world. It made him smile.

But with a sigh, he gently pried her packet out from under her head, knowing that she wouldn't be waking up anytime soon enough to finish it. It looked like it was up to him to finish everything up… again.

She was so treating him to something of his choice in the future.

 **4\. The ease in which they fit into our arms.**

Maya should have been happy.

She had been telling them all week that her dad was coming to visit her for the first time in twelve years. He had finally decided that he should try to involve himself in Maya's life. She had been worried, but mostly excited, showing up to school the day before in her best dress and cleanest shoes, her hair immaculately curled. Her eyes were bright and excited as she had conversed with Lucas about her dinner plans with her father that evening.

He had been happy for her, listening attentively as she chattered on and on about how she hoped that they would be able to get along.

Which was why coming into Biology that day and sitting next to her, he was utterly surprised to see her slumped in her chair, her gaze trained on the table, obviously upset about something. She didn't respond when he sat. She didn't say anything. Didn't even mention her dinner.

"Maya? What's wrong?"

She glanced at him, but didn't say anything, instead turning her attention to their teacher who had begun the lecture. Lucas stared at her, knowing she wasn't okay. She was hurting. He just knew.

But he wouldn't press. Not until she was ready to talk about it.

And then halfway through the lecture, Maya shot up suddenly, her chair scraping noisily against the floor. Everyone turned to stare at her, confused looks on their faces. Without a word, Maya stormed through the class to the door and left without a single backwards glance. The class stared wide eyed at each other, all wondering what the heck was going on.

Lucas slowly rose his hand.

"Yes, Friar. You can go take care of your girlfriend." Mr. Donohue said with a roll of his eyes.

Lucas didn't even bother correcting their teacher once again that Maya Hart was, in fact, _not_ his girlfriend. But he got up and raced out of the room, hoping Maya hadn't gotten far. Her short stature was very deceiving, because she could move pretty damn fast when she wanted to.

He found her near the end of the hallway, dragging her feet as she walked and he approached her cautiously, half expecting her to snub him and tell him to leave her alone.

"Maya. What's wr—"

She spun around in a whirl of faded perfume and strawberry and promptly flung herself into his arms, squeezing him tightly and softly crying into his chest, her shoulders shaking with her sobs.

Lucas' brows rose momentarily in surprise, but he quickly composed himself. He didn't say anything or ask her any whys or whats. He just wrapped his arms around her smaller form and tucked her under his chin, molding her perfectly to him as he rubbed soothing circles on her back.

He would later find out that Kermit never showed, only offering a half-hearted apology through a phone call an hour after the rendezvous time and promising they would get the chance to meet some other time.

 **5\. The way they kiss you and all of a sudden everything is right in the world.**

Lucas was angry.

Enraged.

 _Seething_.

His father had called, nagging the hell out of his ears for one damn C he had gotten on a _quiz_ even. Lucas had gotten the lecture of his life that morning about ruining opportunities because he wasn't taking school seriously and how Cs would not get him into Ivy League schools. Lucas wasn't even interested in Ivy, and hearing the constant bitching from his father had really dampened his spirits before he even left for school.

He had been in a pissy mood all day, and though he tried to keep from lashing out at people, he knew his patience was wearing thin with each minute that passed. Everything was grating his nerves and when he'd snapped the lead of his mechanical pencil for the hundredth time writing notes, he knew he couldn't be in class anymore.

He raised his hand, interrupting the lecture and speaking without waiting to be addressed.

"Mrs. Owens, may I please be excused?"

She looked a little confused, staring at him with furrowed brows. Lucas didn't blame her. It wasn't in his nature to leave class or miss any of the actual lecture. But she must have seen something in his expression because she nodded.

He left the classroom and went straight through the school and out the front, knowing that the best bet to cool off his hotheadedness was to _physically_ cool off. It was freezing outside, but he knew he needed it to clear his thoughts. He slumped on the front steps of the school, taking deep breaths and trying to think of other things.

As he rubbed his face with his hands, he heard the door open behind him and soft clicks of heels walking down the steps until they stopped in front of him.

"Are you okay?" Maya asked, stooping a little to catch his eye.

"No offense, but the purpose of me leaving class was so that I wouldn't have to talk to anyone." Lucas growled.

He wasn't trying to be intentionally rude to Maya, but he honestly was not in the mood to be friendly.

She nodded. "Fair enough. We don't have to talk."

And then she took hold of his jaw in her hand and tilted up his chin. Without prelude, she leaned down and pressed her lips firmly to his.

Lucas froze, shocked out of his mind and blinking up at Maya in total confusion. But it didn't last very long. Before he could reciprocate or do anything or even think to react, Maya pulled away from him with a smile, her eyes dancing with mirth as Lucas stared at her in a daze, his lips still slightly puckered.

"This doesn't mean anything, yeah?" she said softly, "You just looked like you needed one."

Maya let go of his chin, patting his shoulder as she climbed up the steps to return to class. As she pulled open the door, she turned back around.

"I hope whatever is bothering you gets worked out. I need my Huckleberry back."

Then she left and the door closed behind her, and Lucas was left reeling, wondering if that had honestly just happened.

And Lucas realized he didn't even remember why he had been so mad in the first place.

 **6\. How cute they are when they eat.**

Right after spring break, Maya broke up with Aiden though she wouldn't tell anyone why.

She acted like it didn't bother her, but he could tell that she was a little upset about it. So despite it being a school night, Lucas drove her to some low-key snow and ice sculpture festival happening in a city further up north because he knew that looking at art always cheered her up.

Maya absolutely loved it, raving over particularly impressive ones. Lucas himself was also really impressed. Some of the pieces were absolutely incredible. They even got to watch someone as they slowly chipped away at a smaller block of ice to create a puppy dog.

There were even food stalls and little things for people to munch on like hot cocoa and cotton candy. He bought Maya a cotton candy since she had been eyeing it pretty heavily, smiling fondly as she eagerly opened it. He knew why. Maya had only been to a fair once in her life and so she had this adorable fixation on the fluffy treat.

She ended up with some cotton candy on her upper lip, and honestly it kind of looked like a moustache. He pulled his phone out and snapped a picture of her. When he told her about her pink facial hair, she blushed and rushed to wipe it away before chasing after him to get that picture deleted. He sent it to his email just in case because she was so damn cute and there was no way he'd ever want to lose that image, and because he knew eventually she would get a hold of his phone and would make sure it was gone from his gallery.

A handful of hours later, they decided they had to get home because they still needed some sleep before school that day.

By the time he had dropped Maya off and returned home, it was almost four in the morning. Lucas got grounded good by his mother for pulling a stunt like that on a school night, but it was fine, because seeing Maya's gleeful smile and bright eyes the whole ride back and the kiss on his cheek he got as a reward was beyond worth it.

 **7\. The way they take hours to get dressed but in the end it makes it all worth while.**

"Maya. Please hurry up." Lucas called out from her living room, checking his watch again for the thousandth time.

He was supposed to pick her up to take her to Farkle's grade-wide prom picture party, but she hadn't woken up on time and now was behind schedule. He had been waiting for literal _hours_. They were already twenty minutes late as it was and he knew if they didn't get a move on soon, Riley would be sending them thousands of angry text messages.

"Calm down, Ranger Rick." Maya said from somewhere in the hallway, "Everyone knows you're supposed to show up to a party fashionably late."

"Not if we're supposed to get there before the…"

Lucas tapered off, his jaw dropping as she stepped out into the living room. His mind short circuited as he took in Maya in her tight, sleeved, backless black gown. His eyes were drawn to the slit at the bottom, exposing a sexy sliver of leg and the red pumps she had matched the outfit with. Even her hair was perfect, coiled and tousled into this almost messy over the shoulder look. He found himself staring at her lips, painted red and resting in a playful pout.

 _Hot damn_.

She walked by him on her way to the door, and he forced himself to imagine the most disgusting and most turn off-y things he could think of because if he wasn't careful, he would definitely give Maya something else to mock him about. He'd always thought she was beautiful but watching her, it really did leave him winded, knocked off of his feet and desperately fighting not to lose total control over mini Lucas.

"You're drooling, Lucas." Maya said with a knowing look, grabbing her apartment keys from the table near the door before turning to face him. "How do I look?"

"Beautiful." he said in awe, "You're absolutely gorgeous."

"Yeah, whatever. Let's go."

She waved off the compliment with an exaggerated eye roll, but he could have sworn, dare he say it, that there was a slight blush on her cheeks as she spun around to leave.

 **8\. Because they are always warm even though its minus 30 outside.**

Being in New York when it was freezing because of an impromptu snowstorm sucked sometimes.

Being in New York when it was freezing because of an impromptu snowstorm when your apartment's heater was broken? An absolute travesty of epic proportions.

So when Maya texted up Lucas that she was freezing and about to freeze to death in her stupid apartment because the heater had broken again, he grabbed an extra blanket, tugged on his clothes, snuck out his window, and drove to Maya's place.

She hadn't been lying.

Her apartment was unbelievably chilly and as he shut Maya's window tightly, hoping to keep as much warm air in as possible, he could see her shivering under the covers, her small body curled in on itself as she tried to catch a little bit of warmth.

"You guys should really invest in some space heaters since this keeps happening."

"Shut up and get in the bed."

He tossed his blanket on top of hers and shed his layers and shoes before climbing in behind her and pulling her into his chest. He slid his arms around her torso and slipped a leg between hers, curling himself around her body and trying the best he could to transfer as much of his heat to her. She let out a sigh of relief, leaning into him.

He was surprised.

Despite the fact that she'd been shivering in her freezing apartment for several hours of the night, her body was warm and toasty and utterly comfortable.

"Thank you, Lucas."

"Right." He murmured in her ear, so tempted to kiss her neck. "So what do I get in return for having to get up late in the night and come to your rescue?"

"Nothing, you damn Huckleberry." She wiggled a bit against his thigh, and Lucas stealthily moved his crotch away from her. They were in close and pretty much full body contact under heated covers, Maya smelled amazing, and Lucas was a hot-blooded seventeen year old. If she even made a little bit of contact with _him_ , Lucas was sure it wouldn't bode well for him. He was already a little erect as it was. Any more stimulation wouldn't make the situation any better. "You should be happy just doing me a favour."

He rose a brow. "Oh yeah?"

Lucas shifted her so her back was on the mattress and then playfully rolled on top of her like dead weight, flattening and crushing her into the mattress to her raucous laughter and failed attempts to push him off.

"Lucas! You're heavy!"

"Still waiting for my compensation."

"Fine!" Maya giggled underneath him, pushing against him. "I'll figure something out later! Just get off!"

"You better."

He got off of her with a laugh, pulling her back into him so she was nestled in his chest once again. It didn't take them long to fall asleep.

When Katy found them the next morning when she came to wake Maya up for school, she had a knowing look on her face and wouldn't stop smirking at Lucas.

It didn't help that he'd woken up with some pretty intense morning wood.

At least Maya hadn't seen it or felt it though.

 **9\. The way they look good no matter what they wear.**

Lucas loved the summertime.

Aside from the obvious heat and warmth he preferred after freezing winters, it was also his favourite because that was when Maya's widest range of outfits came out.

Because senior year was approaching, and with it, a lot of commitments and hard work to prepare for college admission and the realization that in a year they would all be on their own, they wanted to jumpstart all the time they needed to spend together before they went their separate ways. And New York City was rife with so many events to go to and enjoy.

So naturally, Maya's range of outfits changed depending on what events they participated in.

If they went to some underground concert, she usually dressed edgier. If it was an activity in the park, she would dress conservatively, but cute. Anything regarding art and she would usually dress to the nines. And there was that one occasion where Shawn had gotten them all free passes on a cruise, and Maya had gone for a more sophisticated look so she could flirt with the hot college guys in attendance.

The point was, to Lucas, no matter what she wore, even if it was paint, Maya would always look good.

She would always be a blonde beauty in his eyes.

 **10\. The way they fish for compliments even though you both know that you think she's the most beautiful girl on this earth.**

Maya was one of the most secure girls he knew.

But even though she was usually confident in herself, even she had times where life got to her and made her feel unsure of herself. Whenever Maya felt particularly insecure, Lucas usually knew because she always looked to him for reassurance.

Like that morning, when she'd shown up late to school.

She asked him more than once if she had bags under her eyes or if she looked worn down. And he knew what she needed to hear to make her feel better.

He called her gorgeous and told her he thought she was the most beautiful girl in the world to reassure her.

"You're just saying that because you're my friend."

"I'm saying that because it's true."

Because they were true words straight from his heart.

And he loved the way Maya's cheeks erupted in an embarrassed blush.

"Shut up, Huckleberry. You're such a sap."

She called him stupid for saying it, even though _she_ asked for the reassurance.

But Lucas only laughed and brushed his lips against her forehead, loving her indignant and very flustered sputtering.

 **11\. How cute they are when they argue.**

"I'm right!" Maya asserted, an angry flush on her cheeks.

She was ranting and raving, trying to force him to see things her way, but Lucas couldn't take her seriously. Maya when she was only partially angry was so cute he could do nothing but stare at her with what he knew was a dopey smile on his face, daydreaming about what it would be like to kiss her while she was mad. Would she bite off his lips, perhaps?

It amused him.

So he would laugh.

And her face would flush angrily and she would get even more mad.

And the cycle would continue.

 **12\. The way her hand always finds yours.**

"So you applied to Texas A&M?" Maya asked as they walked down the sidewalk towards Riley's apartment to study for Mr. Matthews' history test. They had all decided to take it together in their final year of school for nostalgia purposes.

He glanced down at her, knowing despite the casual tone of her question, there was some kind of hooded look in her eyes. A melancholy that he had grown to recognize easily. Especially recently since all their friends had started applying early to their choice schools in other states.

"Yeah. My dad's not happy about it. But I don't care. I'm doing what I want for once." He nudging her with his elbow, just enough to throw her a little off balance. "Why the long face?"

She shot him an annoyed look.

"Nothin' doin'."

"Maya, come on." Lucas stopped, gently holding her shoulder when she seemed adamant to continue on. "I can see it in your eyes. What's up?"

She stared out at the street, her brows furrowed.

"Nothing."

"Maya." He grasped her chin, turning her face so she was looking at him. "If you don't tell me what's wrong, I'm going to put you over my shoulder, and I won't let you down."

She rolled her eyes in annoyance, though her lips curved up in an amused smile.

"It's nothing. I just think it's going to be weird not having you around to mess with any day I want." She shrugged, taking his hand off of her chin, though she didn't let it go. "You're going to Texas. And I'm going to miss you."

Lucas stared at her, his heart skipping a beat from her blatant confession as she smiled up at him.

"Maya—"

"It's fine. We have a whole year before that happens." Maya rolled her eyes, rotating her hand and shifting her hold so they were properly holding hands. "Let's just get to Riley's."

She tugged him after her, her hand clenched tightly in his, a bright smile on her lips and soft blush on her cheeks. But the only thing Lucas could think about was the implications of her confession. Did that mean she liked him too?

But he didn't know how to bring it up. Especially if he was utterly wrong.

Either way, it wasn't the last time she held his hand. He had to admit, the first few times, he thought it was just a fluke. But before he knew it, they were never walking together without their hands clasped together, fingers sometimes interlaced.

 **13\. The way they smile.**

"You know… I'm going to have to find me a new sucker to use once I get to NYU. Someone to watch Saturday morning cartoons with me like this." Maya drawled, her ear resting on his chest, right above his heartbeat as she stared at the infomercial on the TV. "You think Josh would be willing?"

Lucas yawned, slowly rubbing circles on her back, still a little groggy after she'd shown up at his window before the sun was even up in her rubber ducky pajamas, forcing him to wake up and cuddle with her on the couch to watch her favourite morning shows. He was still half asleep, and it didn't help that Maya was laying on top of him and unbelievably warm and comfortable. Was it such a bad thing that he wanted to go back to sleep holding her?

"He's graduating from NYU this year."

"Yeah, I know, but he said he's staying in New York because he likes the vibe of the city. I could make him my pet guinea pig."

Lucas shrugged nonchalantly, too tired to really care about it. Maybe he should have been a _little_ jealous, but Maya had long lost her massive crush on Josh years ago and since then, they'd just remained close friends.

"So just because I'm leaving the state, you're ditching me for the next available guy?" he said playfully, "I feel so used. And unneeded."

"I'm not ditching you. I'm finding a temporary substitute to fill in your absence." Maya lifted her head and rested her chin on his chest as she stared up at him, her legs tangling with his under the blanket they were under. "You're my rock, Lucas. I'll never not need you."

Lucas blinked in surprise at that, tilting his chin down and meeting Maya's heady gaze in surprise.

And the smile—soft and warm and affectionate—that she gave him gave him some hope that maybe, just maybe, he had a chance.

 **14\. The way you feel when you see their name on the caller ID after you just had a big fight.**

He did it.

Lucas told Maya how he felt.

She came over one day, he made her dinner, she asked him why, and he confessed.

She had yelled at him, told him he was deluding himself and that she didn't buy that he liked her. And that he had screwed everything up. And that she just wanted senior year to be fun and easy and he had ruined that too.

He had yelled at her too, told her she was being ridiculous for not believing he had fallen for her. And that if she didn't feel the same, a rejection would suffice instead of dismissing his feelings. And that he refused to go through their senior year with regrets and wonders of what if. And that he knew she was scared.

And she ran.

And now she was avoiding him. She had been avoiding him for going on about a week. Riley and Zay tried everything in their power to get them to talk, but it was almost no use. Maya was stubborn.

Which was why when his phone rang, he was surprised to see that it was Maya. Surprised and happy and feeling some kind of all-encompassing relief and such strong elation that confirmed in his heart that what he felt for Maya was definitely much stronger than friendship.

"Hello?" He held his breath.

 _"Lucas. I don't want to fight anymore. Can I come over?"_

"I'll be home in an hour."

 **15\. The way she says "lets not fight anymore" even though you know that an hour later...**

"I really need a place to crash." Maya said, plopping down on his bed with a heavy sigh, "My mom told me my dad wants to meet with me again, and I just don't really know what to think. Can we cuddle?"

Lucas' eyes narrowed, irritated that she was acting so nonchalantly. Didn't she have something else to say?

"So that's it. That's the only reason you came over."

"Why else would I come over?" she asked with a raised eyebrow, confusion evident in her expression.

"Seriously?" Lucas growled, "So you're just going to pretend like I didn't confess. You're just going to pretend like this whole week hasn't happened."

"Because _nothing_ happened." Maya said through grit teeth.

A cold anger simmered under his skin from her words. So she was choosing to ignore his confession then? Just dismiss him like it didn't even matter?

"You know what, Maya? I put up with a lot of your shit." Lucas shook his head in disdain. "I'm your punching bag, I'm your emotional fluffer for everything, I do everything for you because I want you to be happy. But I'm putting my foot down this time. Until you decide you want to listen to what I said, I need space from you. I think we both need it."

He forced himself to ignore the pained look in her beautiful blue-grays, but he wouldn't yield. Not until she acknowledged that he had feelings for her. Not until she stopped trying to push him away without properly addressing him. Not until she recognized that this was real.

"Lucas…"

"Maya, I think you should just leave."

Maya chewed on her lower lip and stood up, grabbing her jacket from the floor on the way out the window.

And Lucas wondered if he'd just made the biggest mistake of his life.

 **16\. The way that they kiss after you have had a fight.**

Lucas was a mess.

Ever since he had told Maya to leave she'd really been keeping her distance.

And he was miserable without her.

Riley had called him 'Stupid Poopie Pants Lucas' for this mess and for causing Maya to skip FWF night for the first time in four years because she didn't want to see him. Ultimately, the FWF that they should have spent bowling had been spent in the Matthews' apartment while his best friends all lectured him and took shots at him about being an idiot for trying to force Maya to come to terms with something she probably hadn't figured out yet.

But Lucas knew Maya. And he knew that wasn't it. He knew she had already figured out her feelings. He could see it in her eyes the day that he confessed.

His friends had argued against him, disagreeing entirely and quite honestly, he hadn't felt like dealing with that so he'd just left and decided to go back home and sleep.

Which was why when he got in his room and saw Maya sitting on his bed waiting for him, he momentarily went into shock.

"Maya…"

"Look Lucas." she said with a frown, rising to her feet, "I don't want us to not talk, okay? It's difficult. I need you in my life and when you're not there, things feel off and I have no one to really vent to who understands."

"So please." She walked up to him, tugging on his shirt with a pleading look in her eyes. "Please let's go back to being friends, okay? I don't want my senior year to have bad memories."

"That's fine and all. We can be friends again. _If_ you respond to what I said." Lucas said, "So is there anything else you want to add to that?"

She frowned, giving him a look like he was stupid. "No…?"

So she _still_ wasn't acknowledging his confession. Lucas' eyes narrowed and he took her hand off of his shirt.

"Then no, Maya. We can't be friends again. Nothing's changed. You still haven't acknowledged what I told you. You haven't listened at all."

She looked fed up. "To _what?_ There's no problem except that for some reason, you think we should be in some stupid fight! I want to make amends, but you're being a real stubborn ass right now, you know?"

"I'm not being stubborn! You are! You're just _choosing_ to ignore my confession!"

"What confession?" she snapped, fists clenched by her sides, "That wasn't a confession because you don't actually have feelings for me."

"Maya, I respect the fact that you want to remain friends. Hell, I can do that for you if you just tell me you don't like me back. But don't stand there and pretend like my feelings don't exist! I meant what I said. I _like_ you! And even if we stay friends, I'll still have feelings for you."

"No. You. _Don't_! Stop trying to ruin things!"

"Stop trying to run! Why the hell are you hiding from reality?!"

"You know what? You were right." She brushed past him with a disgusted shake of her head. "We clearly do need space from each other. Maybe for good."

Lucas' jaw clenched. He had put up with her running over and over again, but he wasn't going to let her run this time. Not just because he knew if he let her go, she would never come back. But also because he'd had enough of her purposely deciding that what he wanted wasn't important. He did everything for Maya. It was time he did something for himself too.

"Oh no you don't." He turned around and caught her arm, spinning her back around so she was facing him. Her eyes widened in surprise as she stared up at him. "Maya what will it take for me to show you that I'm sincere! Why can't you just accept my confession and then let me know you don't have feelings for me? I don't even care that you don't like me back. I just wish you would stop dismissing how I feel for you!"

She snatched her arm out of his hold. "Because I can't okay!"

"What the hell are you so scared about?! Just tell me you don't like me back and I can let this go!"

"I _can't_!"

"Why the hell not?!"

"Because I _do_ like you!"

"So then why are you running?!"

"I don't want to lose you! I need you, okay? You mean everything to me, Lucas. And so does your friendship. I'm scared of this relationship thing. Scared that if we let this happen, I'll wreck everything and lose you." She sniffled, sitting back down on his bed and staring at his carpet. "And if that happens…"

Lucas was sure his heart was about to implode from her confession. It was beating wildly, his breathing a little choppier as he watched her. So he hadn't been delusional. Maya liked him too.

Lucas knelt down onto his knees between Maya's legs so they were more or less eyes level, gazing at her seriously. He cradled her cheek, wiping away a lone tear trailing down.

"You won't lose me, Maya." He said gently, holding her other cheek as well, "Never."

He kissed her.

And the best part was she kissed him back.

 **17\. The way they kiss you when you say "I love you".**

When he realized he had fallen deeply in love with Maya, it wasn't some huge, all-encompassing revelation. It wasn't like it had been in the throes of passion or anything like that. Hell, it hadn't even been building up, bubbling in his chest and waiting to burst its way out.

They went ice skating for Farkle's FWF. It was some winter deal where coming with multiple people would get pretty good discounts at the rink, so the place was more crowded than usual. And Lucas, still not really used to skating on ice after all these years (Give him a break. He'd been riding horses his whole life), got toppled over by some kids horsing around. He'd been holding Maya's hand, so of course, when he hit the ground, she came tumbling on top of him.

She was laughing loudly, the sound jovial and music to his ears and her eyes bright and dancing and her nose wrinkled adorably. And watching her, he knew he was in love.

There wasn't some huge epiphany. It wasn't like fireworks exploded in his head. He didn't suddenly feel the need to shout for joy at the top of his lungs. He didn't feel a hot flash or cold sweat.

He just _knew_.

He supposed perhaps, the love he had for Maya as her friend had transformed when he didn't notice and became something else entirely, but he felt it. He had fallen deeply and irrevocably in love with his best friend.

He curled a strand of her hair behind her ear, gazing up at her: this beautiful girl who he knew he couldn't envision his life without.

"I love you, Maya."

Maya's face burned with a blush, her cheeks a rosy red and a heat in her dancing eyes as she gazed down at him. She leaned down and kissed him, slow and deep and intoxicating, and though she didn't say the words back, he knew she was saying it in her kiss.

 **18\. Actually... Just the way they kiss you...**

He couldn't get enough of her kisses.

The puckered, quick little pecks to his lips between classes when she was running late and he was running late but neither wanted to pass by each other without making contact.

The long, drugging, sweet kisses when she was letting him know how much she cared.

The scorching, provocative kisses when they were fooling around, and she wanted him to touch her properly.

The feathery light, playful teasing ones when they were hanging out with friends and didn't want to make anyone uncomfortable.

The slow, intense ones when she was in an affectionate mood, cuddling and curled up around him.

He loved them all.

He loved her.

God, he loved her so much.

 **19\. The way they fall into your arms when they cry.**

It happened again.

Maya was nervous. Less excited than last time, but ready to finally see her father and meet her step family. Maya finally decided to call him back, inviting him to come for Christmas. He had promised to drive to New York with his family and arrive on the 23rd, the last day of their exams, so Maya had shown up to school in a sensible dress and kitten heels, her hair coiled in a cute up-do on her head since he would pick her up directly from school and they would be going out to an early dinner.

Or so she thought.

As soon as they completed their last exam and all students were dismissed to cheers and excitement for their breaks finally— _finally_ —starting, Maya headed to her locker to check her phone in excitement at finally seeing her father and the family she'd heard about.

Lucas had been talking to Zay, Riley, and Farkle, discussing one of the history questions that was a little confusing so he didn't noticed Maya read something on the screen. He didn't notice her shoulders slumping. Her fingers trembling. Her lower lip quivering. Her eyes welling with tears.

It wasn't until he heard her soft sob that he finally noticed.

"Maya, what's wrong?" Lucas said in alarm, his heart breaking at the look in her eyes.

"He cancelled on me, Lucas…" Maya stared at the screen, her voice cracking. "Said he couldn't make it but that we could meet some other time."

"Maya…"

She broke down in the middle of the hallway, burying herself in his arms, crying harshly, her body shaking. Lucas held her tight, his heart tearing into two from how vulnerable and fragile and defeated Maya looked, each wretched sob that escaped her lips making him more and more want to track Kermit down and beat the shit out of him for causing her this much agony.

Some people gave them curious looks, but Lucas ignored them, focusing only on his girlfriend and hating himself for not being able to take away all of her pain.

 **20\. Then the way they apologize for crying over something silly.**

"I'm sorry for being so melodramatic…" Maya apologized, clutching the fabric of his shirt with her hand. Lucas rubbed her side, placing a kiss on the top of her forehead. "I don't even know why I'm crying."

"It's okay to cry, you know?" Lucas said, wrapping his other arm around her waist and holding her tightly to him. "I know your father cancelling hurts. You don't have to try to shoulder the pain on your own. And you don't have to hide your pain. Let me be there for you."

Maya sniffled, and upon glancing down, he could see her eyes welling with tears once again. He stared at the ceiling of her bedroom, wishing he could do more for her. As it stood, all he'd been able to do was just hold her as she wept, inputting his two cents every once in a while. But he didn't know if it was enough.

"It hurts Lucas. It hurts to know that he'll never want me as his daughter. Despite the fact that I'm his first born, I know he doesn't consider me a daughter…"

And Lucas listened, soothingly rubbing her side as she spilled all the source of her pain.

 **21\. The way they hit you and expect it to hurt.**

Except that when she hit him for getting into a fight with her ex, Lucas _definitely_ felt it.

Right on his bruised ribs.

She forced him to sit down on his bed, observing the puffy skin of the corner of his eye, which he had no doubt would also bruise.

"Are you an idiot?! Why the hell did you get into a fight with Aiden?" Maya rolled her eyes in exasperation. "Granted, you're in better shape than him, but you don't know what the end to that could have been. You're lucky that teacher let you off with a warning! If you had gotten expelled right before graduation I would have never forgiven you, you dumbass."

"I couldn't help it okay! He was saying stuff about you from when you dated. Bragging about how far you went with him to the guys on the team. And I know it shouldn't bother me because the past is in the past, but it _did_ bother me." Lucas growled, wincing as he licked the small cut on the corner of his lower lip, "The way he was talking about you. Like you were just a game to him. An opportunity for him to get some action. Like he used you and got in your pants or something and it just made me so mad I just couldn't think and I—"

"Lucas." She interrupted gently, grasping his chin and forcing his head up so he was looking at her. "It's a lie, okay?"

"What?"

"We never went farther than a bit of fooling around. I didn't want to. That's why we broke up. He wanted more than I was willing to give him."

Lucas' brows rose slightly, feeling some kind of relief from the revelation. "Oh."

"I couldn't go farther with him… Because I think deep down, part of me was hoping that… you would… be my first."

He stared up at her in slight shock as her face erupted in a hot blush. She averted her gaze entirely, letting go of his chin as if touching him burned her.

"You wanted me to be…?"

Maya chewed on her lower lip, nodding a little shyly.

Lucas swallowed thickly, his heart racing in his chest as Maya slowly met his gaze.

He rose to his feet, his eyes trained on her as he curled an arm around her waist, holding her flush against him, his other hand cradling the nape of her neck. She gazed up at him, her eyes a little half lidded and her breathing a bit harsher than before.

Lucas did end up being Maya's first that night.

And she ended up his.

 **22\. Then the way they apologize when it does hurt (even though we won't admit it).**

Lucas groaned slightly, trying to shift to a more comfortable position so Maya's weight wasn't directly on top of his chest. He let out a sigh of relief when she let him move behind her, spooning her, his nose buried in her mess of tangled hair as he inhaled the soothing scent of strawberry.

"Are your ribs okay? That had to have hurt." Maya said, slightly chuckling to herself, "You know, when I hit you… And the later stuff."

"I'm fine." Lucas said, sliding his arm around her naked waist. "It doesn't hurt."

But it did. A lot. _Especially_ during the later stuff.

The nurse had told him to avoid strenuous activities while he had the bruised ribs, but he hadn't listened and now this was his punishment (though it was definitely worth it).

"I'm sorry." Maya apologized quietly, covering the hand on her abdomen with hers and slipping her fingers in between the spaces of his own.

"Hmm I don't think that cuts it as an apology." Lucas teased.

"Oh. Is that so?" Maya looked at him over her shoulder, a devious smile playing on her lips.

"That is so."

"Well… Does this?"

His words just about died in his throat when she sat up, pushed him onto his back and crawled under the covers.

 **23\. The way they say "I miss you".**

 _"I miss you."_

"I know." Lucas said, smiling fondly at the slightly whiny tone Maya tended to adopt every time she called him. He could even imagine that sexy little playful pout on her lips. "I miss you too."

Maya was spending most of her summer in Italy with the Matthews. They still would have a month to spend together before Lucas left for Texas, but honestly, they were finding this separation to be a lot harder than they expected. His mom had told him having a bit of separation in the summer could be good for them to test the waters and prepare for the long distance.

 _"We could be trying new positions right now, but I have to spend this month taking care of myself. I'm frustrated, Lucas! I need some release!"_

"I'm not going to lose you to some suave attractive Casanova with a sexy accent, right?" Lucas said playfully, "Riley told me I might since apparently you're really horny."

 _"Maybe one."_ Maya teased. _"Don't worry Lucas. There's no other person I'd rather use to get me off than you."_

"Oh so that's all our relationship is to you. Good to know."

She laughed. _"When I get back next week, you better be in your room because I'm coming to you first. And I'm not leaving until we catch up on all those missed days."_

"Looking forward to it."

Maya chuckled, before sighing a bit dejectedly.

 _"I miss you, Lucas."_

She said it again, breathily this time, in that soft way that always managed to make Lucas' pulse quicken, turn him on, and miss her terribly all at the same time.

"I miss you too, Maya."

 **24\. The way you miss them.**

"Look Lucas." Quinn said as she scrutinized the cluster of shirtless guys throwing a frisbee in front of their dorm with interest, "I don't know why you don't wanna go out with Liz. If you don't like her, I have tons of other single and very cute friends who are interested in you. I can honestly introduce you to someone. It's not a thing."

Lucas snorted, rolling his eyes as he set his pencil down on the table. They went through this all the time.

"Quinn, as much as you might think that I'm lonely, I'm not. I have a _girlfriend_ back home. A very cute one who I love very much and would never leave because she'd probably come after me and castrate me."

A bit shocked, Lucas realized that he had referred to "back home" as New York. But it wasn't so much that he considered it home. It was that he considered _Maya_ home and every time he visited her on breaks or long weekends, it really did feel like returning home.

He smiled to himself. Maya was his home. And he really missed her.

"You know, that's what you always tell me, but I want proof. Who is this so called girlfriend of yours?"

His phone rang, the caller ID showing Maya's face with her pink cotton candy moustache.

"Oh look," Lucas said, lifting up his screen so she could see the image, "It's my _girlfriend_."

Quinn rose a brow, pursing her lips like she didn't believe him.

He picked up the call.

"Maya. What's up?"

When he heard her sniffle through the phone, he automatically stiffened, an ice cold chill running down his back.

 _"Lucas… my father."_ She said, choked, her voice sounding so small, so broken that Lucas almost felt his heart stop. _"I-I decided to take matters into my own hand and see him since he kept cancelling on me. I took a bus all the way to him."_

"Maya…"

 _"He never even told his new family about me to begin with. He lied about everything. He never was planning to introduce me. He never was planning to come last Christmas. And when his wife wondered who I was, he lied and said he'd never seen me before in his life."_

Lucas' blood ran hot under his skin, his fist clenching tightly. He wanted to knock out Kermit's teeth for doing that to Maya.

 _"He apologized, asked me if I understood why he had to hide me, as if I'm some stain on his ledger. He told me he would make it up to me one day and we could meet and talk so he could learn about my life but that he couldn't at the moment."_ Her voice broke, and she sniffled. _"So I told him he could take those plans and shove them right up his ass. And I told him we were through. And I told him to never contact me again. That if he was ashamed to be a part of my life or have me as part of his, that I'd rather he stay out of my life completely."_

"What did he say?"

 _"He agreed. He decided to stay out of my life."_ Maya whimpered, letting out a choked sob. _"I thought I would be happy, but it hurts, Lucas. I don't know what to do. The tears won't stop."_

"Are you back in New York?"

 _"Yeah."_

"Stay put. I'm coming, Maya."

 **25\. The way their tears make you want to change the world so that it doesn't hurt anymore.**

She didn't talk much when he finally got to her window.

She yanked him inside and pushed him onto her bed and climbed on top of him. He went with it, even though he knew she was trying to forget, trying to avoid thinking about the pain. She needed the distraction. She wanted to alleviate her pain, and if this was the way she wanted to, Lucas would oblige.

She cried while they were together. Cried throughout everything, her eyes glistening with hurt and pain and looking so _broken_.

Despite the tough air Maya put on and the guard she had on her heart, she was still vulnerable at times and as much as Lucas wanted to track down Kermit and show him a whole new meaning of what it meant to be in _pain_ , he knew Maya wouldn't want that.

All he could do was be there for her, stay with her, hold her.

All he could do was kiss away her tears and make love to her as many times as she wanted, praying that he was helping in some way, shape, or form.

 **26\. The way that she looks almost always happy around you**

Lucas was flipping pancakes in the kitchen when Maya finally emerged from her bedroom late in the afternoon, rubbing her eyes sleepily and wearing an old t-shirt he had thought he lost when he left for A&M four months prior.

She sidled up to him, slipping her arms around his torso as she stared into the pan.

"Pancakes, Huckleberry?" She rose an eyebrow. "Really?"

"Your mom said it was your favourite breakfast food."

He put the last pancake on top of the others in the stack, cutting off the stove top with a smile as he rubbed her back. He was glad that broken look in her eyes had disappeared since the night before. Maya's tears were difficult to stomach.

"Plus, I thought it was appropriate, since you're a shortstack and all."

Maya smiled, snuggling against his chest as Lucas turned fully so he was facing her directly.

"Thank you for being here, Lucas. Thanks for coming."

"Always. I'm always going to be here if you need me."

"Your finals are coming up though, aren't they? When do you have to go back?"

"In two days actually. I'm sorry. I would stay the whole week, but this one can't be missed." He brushed some hair out of her face as Maya gazed up at him. "But I'll come back as soon as they're done."

She was quiet for a bit, eyes glimmering and warm as she smiled at him.

"I love you, Lucas."

It caught him off guard.

It was the first time she had ever said it directly to him. Lucas felt his heart lurch in happiness and he smiled back, his heart warming at the happiness in her gaze.

He was lucky.

He was so lucky to have fallen in love with Maya.

He was so lucky that she fell in love with him too.

"I love you too, Maya."


	62. It Started With Coloured Pencils

**A/N: Anyone who is terrified about Lucaya after Texas III, please go read my Lucaya Manifesto. I would love to take time to respond to all fears _individually,_ but it seemed like many of you had the same ones, so I just compiled everything I thought together into one huge crazy mess to make addressing everyone easier. So please check it out and hopefully it will help a bit! Keep hope guys! :D  
**

 **Hi guest2551! I can't remember what story you commented on, but 'archer city, texas' is by lucaya! Read it; it's super fun!  
**

 **So my banana nut muffin experiment worked out with interesting results! Thank you to everyone who participated! That was funny! Exactly 50% of you included it in your review! Which essentially means only half of you read the A/Ns lol!  
**

 **PLEASE READ THIS : So I've really slacked off on UAD marathon and I feel really bad. But honestly, I'm starting to see that it's probably _not_ going to work if I also want to update my other stories and get school work done, so UAD will become ETD marathon (every two/three days), because that way I can still get in time for my other stories! I hope that's not too annoying and sorry about how many days I've missed (pretty sure it's ten LOLOL), but as you know, with school and my part time and the fact that I'm stupidly working on multiple stories at once, it's gotten kind of crazy! Just letting you know, loves! Please don't be mad at me! **

**(Also. General thing. The sloppier the oneshot, the faster I wrote it ahahaha. So apologies for this one. Seriously this is so sloppy I don't even know what I was thinking publishing it :/ I'll make it up to you guys with the next one.)  
**

 **On queue:** **wanderinwonderland request for domestic!Lucaya!**

 **Enjoy! Thanks for all the lovely and amazing things you guys say! It means so much to have your support and I wholeheartedly can't even begin to tell you how amazing and wonderful and beautiful you all are! Thank you for your patience with me! Thank you for taking a chance on this weirdo's stuff! I honestly have nothing to say to all of you but thank you from the bottom of my heart! :D  
**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own GMW.**

* * *

 **Title: It Started With Coloured Pencils And A Smart Phone  
Pairings&Characters: Dark!Maya, Lucas, Riley, Zay, Farkle, Cory**  
 **Genre: Angst, Hurt/Comfort, Friendship,** **Drama, WAFF, canon compliant  
Rating: K+ for Kicks In The Gut  
Summary: She pretends not to notice the exchanged looks when the bill comes after they all decide to go get pizza together.  
**

 **Request by KrazyKakes for cute post on Instagram where Maya couldn't go on field trip so Lucas keeps her company. Thank you for your request, love! :D  
**

 **Request by ABEDFAN for the prompt that Maya is tired of feeling like a charity case for her friends. Your request turned out to fall right in line with this! Thanks for the request! :3**

 **Note:** **Credit for the title and summary goes to ABEDFAN.  
**

* * *

It started with coloured pencils and a smart phone in the sixth grade.

Maya accepted it.

She didn't have a phone. And she didn't have any supplies with which to continue her newfound passion for art. It didn't register in her young mind at the time what the implications of such a donation was.

In seventh grade, Cory and Topanga bought her a winter coat as a Christmas gift.

Maya had been surprised. Surprised, but happy that she had a fairly fashionable coat to tote around. Something warm on the particularly chilly days.

She didn't make much of it.

After all, the Matthews had been taking care of her since she was five and her mother was too busy to pick her up after preschool. They'd been paying for most of her stuff pretty much all her life.

That was how it started.

But come ninth grade year, Maya became acutely aware of what was going on.

She would initially pretend not to notice the exchanged looks when the bill would come after they would decide to go get pizza. The four way split that conveniently left her out because whoops, Lucas "accidentally" forgot to cut the bill between five and that 'it's okay Maya. She could get the next one'.

But she noticed.

How for going to the movies or a play or any event that required payment for the ticket, someone would always miraculously have an accidental extra ticket for her. How plans were always set around cheaper attractions in the city and how if someone mentioned something more expensive, they would clam up and decide not to go. How shopping always involved Riley or Topanga buying things and then "gifting" them to her.

Every time.

She tried not to focus on it.

She tried to ignore it.

Tried to tell them that she could pay four dollars for a damn double scoop ice cream cone, but she was waved off with smile.

Dismissed.

As if her saying she could pay was some kind of joke.

There came a point where she started to hate it with every ounce of her being. Where she almost dreaded going anywhere with her friends. Where she would take their charities with shame, her eyes stinging with tears in the back and feeling like she was worthless.

She knew how they saw her. That _poor_ friend. The one they always needed to pay for. The one who needed to have their freebies.

And whenever it happened, she would smile and go along with it, but in the privacy of her room she would grit her teeth and clench her fists, fighting the urge to scream into her pillow until her throat was raw and her voice was gone.

And with startling clarity, Maya understood now why her mother's lips would always purse the slightest bit when she mentioned that the Matthews had paid for her baseball game tickets, that they had bought her a set of paints with no pretense other than they wanted to. When she mentioned the boots Topanga had gotten her. When she mentioned the things her friends had paid for.

She understood why her mother would always look a bit uncomfortable when Maya mentioned any of the stuff she received for free.

Maya was their _charity case._

~.~.~

There were three things in the ninth grade year of JQA High that punctuated and defined freshman year.

Homecoming.

Freshman field day.

And the huge ninth grade class day trip to Coney Island at the end of the year.

The first and second hadn't been a problem for Maya. Her mother's birthday had been on the same day as homecoming and they had already planned to celebrate together, so Maya never had to worry about expenses like a dress and shoes because she didn't plan on going. And field day was free on school grounds, so money hadn't been an issue then either.

But the trip to Coney Island _was_ problematic.

This one was the huge freshman celebration raved about by all the upperclassman. They told tales of people getting together, friendships forged, solidified, and broken. Relationships tested. This was _the_ event that you had to go on. The one people would talk about for years to come. It was fun and games and a great way for students to enjoy their last month as freshman before the year was over.

It was also seventy-five dollars total and it went towards the wristband, transportation, the restaurant, etc. Plus, there was the obvious need to bring spending money.

For other students, shelling out seventy-five dollars was no big deal. In fact, for a school trip, that was considered fairly cheap.

For Maya? It was expensive.

Was it even worth it?

Maya had overheard her mother speaking with Gammy about how she was trying to start saving up for college so Maya could go to her choice college, but she kept having to dip into it to pay rent and other expenses.

So Maya didn't bring it up at all, tearing the permission form up into pieces and deciding it wasn't worth it, and she wouldn't go.

~.~.~

"Hey Maya." Farkle asked, plopping next to her in the library seat, "Have you turned in your money and form yet for Coney? The deadline is in three days."

"No. I'm not going."

Farkle looked at her in confusion for a second.

"Wait, what do you mean?"

Maya looked up from her sketch, already feeling her irritation start to grow. That feeling of being worthless that she couldn't stand. And looking at Farkle, she knew that the depth of his gaze held a tinge of pity.

No doubt he felt sorry for "the poor girl".

"I mean I'm not going." Maya repeated through grit teeth, "I can't afford it, so I decided not to go."

"Oh, well that's not a problem. I can pay for your trip."

"Stop it. I don't want your help."

Farkle looked utterly confused.

"Maya, it's no big deal. I'm sure if I asked my mom she wouldn't mind spending another seventy-five."

Maya's nostrils flared, her eyes narrowing into slits as she glared at Farkle. It was one thing to buy her four dollar ice creams or pay for a ten dollar movie or even the five bucks to go ice skating. But seventy-five dollars?

"Oh I'm sure she wouldn't." She bit out. Farkle bristled, staring at her in slight surprise as her lip curled in disgust. "She donates to a lot of charities, right?"

Farkle frowned in bewilderment, caught off guard by Maya's sudden belligerence.

"Yes…?"

Maya snatched up her books without another word and stormed out of the library.

~.~.~

When Maya was younger, every once in a while she used to joke around to the Matthews that they needed to donate to the Maya Trust Fund for various things, but now that she was older, she was really starting to feel like she'd brought this on herself. She just felt unbelievably uncomfortable around them now. Even eating dinner at their house was starting to make her feel like a freeloader. She was probably that poor girl who they were giving free meals because they felt sorry for her, no doubt.

"Maya. Farkle told me you're not going on the Coney Island trip." Riley said in concern, "Why not?"

Maya stopped her fork midway to her mouth, stiffening as every Matthews' eyes turned to her. She swallowed thickly, setting the fork down slowly as she came to recognize _that_ look in their eyes.

It was back again.

Pity for the poor girl.

"Riley, it's fine." Maya said slowly, "I can't pay for the trip so I decided not to go."

"We can spot you, Maya." Topanga said casually, "I want you to be able to go on this trip with your friends. It's seventy-five, right? How much spending money do you want?"

Maya stared at the table, her clenched fists trembling the slightest bit.

"I said I'm fine. I don't need help. I'm not going on the trip."

Cory waved her off with a laugh. "Maya, it's okay! We've got you covered."

All the food in her stomach churned, the sick feeling in the pit of her stomach growing. She felt sick. Disgusting. Like she was going to throw up.

It was like a kick to the gut and a wake up call. A brutal kick that showed that no matter how adamant she was in refusing help, no matter how much she didn't want to be treated to everything, no matter how important her pride was to her, she was always going to be considered that charity case. That poor girl who needed help, regardless of her own desires.

And she'd had it.

"I said I don't want your help!" she yelled, pounding her fist on the table, "What part of that do you not understand?!"

Her sudden outburst was met with silence and wide, surprised eyes.

"Maya—"

"You think I can't see what's going on here?! What? You think I'm too _dumb_ or too dimwitted to figure it out?!" Maya spat. "You've shown it enough times what you think of me. That dumb, poor girl, right?"

"Maya, what?" Cory asked in confusion.

"I know how you all see me. And I've had it!" Maya snapped, "Can you all just stop! I don't want your money or your charity, okay?! Stop trying to do me favours!"

Maya shot out of her seat and stormed out of the apartment without a second glance back.

As soon as she'd gotten home, she sank onto her bed and sobbed in her pillow, her shoulders shaking with sobs.

She hated it.

She hated being "that poor person" in her group.

She hated the way they would give her these pitying gazes, the way they would just decide amongst themselves that they needed to give her freebies and help her against her will just because she wasn't as wealthy. Just because she lived with heavy financial burdens they did not have.

Was that all she was to her friends? A damn charity case for them to help? Someone they only took care of because they pitied her life all the time?

It made her question the legitimacy of her connection with them.

It made her cry even harder.

~.~.~

The day of the Coney Island trip, Maya was almost tempted to skip school, but she knew if she did, her mother would know something was up since she hadn't been going to Riley's in a while and had been in a bad mood since that disastrous dinner a long time ago. Though her mom hadn't questioned what could have been going on, Maya knew if she even tried to miss school, the questions _would_ begin and Maya wasn't anywhere near ready to explain that yet.

So she walked into her class homeroom, completely avoiding any of her friends' worried glances, and slumped down in her assigned seat, ignoring all the excited, chattering teens around her. She sat completely still and rigid through all the announcements, through all the instructions and through all the explanations of which chaperone had which group and the like.

When the ninth graders who were not going on the trip were told to head to study hall, Maya snatched up her bag to leave. There were a few others she didn't really know who also weren't going on the trip, but she could feel the weight of all her friends' gazes on her and it felt like all eyes were on her.

But she didn't feel bad or awkward or restless in the pitying silence from all other classmates.

For the first time, she felt okay about it.

Even if she was missing a trip, she didn't feel like she had been handed out a charity because they felt sorry for her. Her pride as a human was still intact. And it was a great feeling.

She walked right out of the gym with the other four students, her head held high. It wouldn't be a very interesting day; that was for sure. And she didn't know what the study hall proctor would have scheduled for the students who weren't going to Coney Island, but it still sure as hell beat spending the entire trip feeling dirty for taking a handout.

As she rounded the corner with the others, Lucas called out her name.

"Maya, wait up!"

She turned around, a little confused as to why Lucas was walking down the hallway, his bag slung on his shoulder.

"What are you doing here? They're going to be loading buses soon, Lucas."

"I can't go on the trip either." He said simply.

He was wringing his hands together on the strap of his bag, and Maya frowned, knowing it was a nervous habit of his. He was definitely lying, but if he wanted to lie about his reason, she wasn't going to question whatever the hell he wanted to do.

"Right…"

"Maya, what's going on?" He asked, his expression a little grim, "You've been avoiding us all for a while. We're all concerned."

Maya's eyes narrowed.

"You mean you're all wondering why I no longer want your freebies and charity."

"Charity?" Lucas' brows furrowed in confusion. "What? What do you mean by charity?"

"I mean what I mean, Lucas. You all kept trying to make me go on this stupid trip by paying for me. And I didn't like it. Just like I don't like how you guys are always trying to spot me for everything we go to that requires payment."

"You never really used to care when we would spot you before?"

"I did care!" Maya snapped, rolling her eyes. "Don't you get it? I'm your token poor person. I'm just you guys' charity case. Your first thought with anything involving money is automatically, 'oh who's going to take care of the poor chick this time' like I can't come up with the means myself. I'm tired of it."

Lucas was silent for a few seconds, his mouth set in a slight frown.

"I get it."

"No you still don't. None of you do. And I don't think you ever will." Maya refuted, "You're all well to do. You can afford anything. Your parents don't have to work extra shifts just to pay off a hospital bill or pay rent. Your mom doesn't grab some quick shifts at her old work place just so that you can buy a new coat and boots and clothes and school supplies for the new school year. And I don't want to be your charity case. I want you guys to see me as a friend first. A friend like you guys. Your first thoughts when we make plans to hang out shouldn't be 'what's the cheapest thing we can do since Maya will be there'. You should want to hang out with me because we're friends."

He stared at her in shock, sympathy and remorse in his expression.

"Maya, we don't do it because we think you're a charity case. We do it because we care about you. Because you're our friend. We want you to enjoy the things with us. We don't mind spotting you because if you get left out because we go somewhere you can't afford, we wouldn't be able to enjoy our time since you wouldn't be there." Lucas finally replied. "We thought we were helping."

"Well, I don't like it." Maya sighed, feeling a little bad for blowing up on them all and then avoiding them. They probably hadn't even realized what them helping her was like for her. "From now on, I want to pay for my own tickets and handle my own expenses. I want to hang out with you guys because _I_ paid for something or contributed. I don't want to feel like I owe everyone. And if I can't pay, I want you guys to respect that I won't participate."

"I understand." Lucas nodded. "We'll stop."

"Good." She relaxed, smiling. "Thank you, Huckleberry. I would appreciate that very much."

"Anything for you."

He smiled back in that warm, affectionate way that made his eyes dance in the light, and Maya fought the urge to blush as she stared up at him.

"Don't you have to get going?" She cleared her throat and averted her gaze for a moment. "The buses are leaving soon."

"Oh. I'm not going." He rubbed the back of his neck a little bashfully. "I wouldn't be able to enjoy myself knowing you were alone."

"Thanks." Maya glanced up at him and then looked back at the ground. "Won't your mom get mad?"

"I'll make it up to her eventually." Lucas shrugged, though he did look a little apprehensive. The fact that he was still staying with her anyway warmed her heart. "So. Since everyone is going to be gone all day, do you want to skip school or something?"

"Whoa. Skip school?" Maya snorted, meeting his gaze. "Who are you, and what have you done to the Moral Compass?"

"I don't know." Lucas shrugged, stepping closer to her. "I was just thinking we could have our own fun day."

"Fun day?"

"Yeah." He said softly, searching her eyes with an indecipherable look in his eyes, "…Just the two of us."

"Oh."

Her lips curved up in a small smile. Lucas gazed down at her, his own smile growing as they held each other's gazes.

"I think… I'd like that." Maya said.

"Okay."

Lucas' gaze flickered briefly to Maya's lips, and Maya found herself leaning closer to him. His hand went to her face, soft, warm, and comforting as he leaned down slowly as well.

" _Maya_?"

It was Riley.

Maya heard it in the distance. They stared at each other, reluctantly pulling away as Lucas' hand slipped from her face and slackened against his side. He looked fairly disappointed.

"Oh there you guys are!"

Maya heard it from the end of the hallway. When she broke her gaze from Lucas and turned to look, she saw Farkle, Riley, and Zay all walking down the hall, also with their school bags.

"Guys?" Maya said in surprise, "What are you doing? The buses are—"

"If you're not going on the trip, then we're not either." Riley said resolutely.

"Yeah." Zay said, "It's no fun unless the whole gang can go."

Maya didn't think her grin could get any wider.

"Thanks, you guys." Maya turned to Lucas. "I guess our day of fun will have to be postponed?"

"Yeah. I guess so. Maybe some other time, then?"

"It's a promise."

He smiled and then they turned to their friends as Riley and Farkle and Zay reached them with smiles.

They linked arms with the others, grins and beams on all their faces as they headed to the study hall room.


	63. It Feels Right

**A/N: Still slowly trucking through PMs and responses! I'll get to them all! I promise! Bear with me! I'm slow af. Lol the next update will have raunch in it because I feel like I've been writing too much fluff lately and I'm not about that life to be honest...  
**

 **Also it has been brought to my attention that 'archer city, texas' isn't there anymore :/ (WHY?!) Sorry for misleading anyone if I did! I didn't know!  
**

 **On queue:** **popusoialexandrina request for Maya's hot af husband!**

 **Enjoy! Thank you for the kind reviews! I appreciate it a lot! Thank you for always being so supportive and pleasant! I am super grateful for all of your sweet words and all the wonderful and interesting requests you all give me! I wouldn't have nearly as much inspiration if it wasn't for you guys and your awesome prompts! :D  
**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own GMW.**

* * *

 **Title: It Feels Right  
Pairings&Characters: Lucas, Sick!Maya, Lucaya**  
 **Genre: Romance, Friendship,** **WAFF/Fluff, Humor, AU  
Rating: K+ for Kiss Aftermaths  
Summary: Maya is sick.  
**

 **Sequel to It's Kinetic (43).**

 **Request by wanderinwonderland for Lucas and Maya being sick after their little kiss in the rain. I decided to only make Maya sick (right now)! I hope that's okay! Thank you for the request! :D  
**

 **Request by Guest for Maya feeling sick and Lucas taking care of her? It's funny that you requested this when you did because it fit in with the next update! Thank you for your request! :3  
**

* * *

Lucas knocked on the door of room 571, waiting for a response.

There was none.

"Maya?" Lucas asked tentatively, trying the handle.

It was unlocked and opened easily, and Lucas walked in her dorm room, his eyes readjusting to the semi-darkness in the room.

Maya hadn't shown up to their sociology class that day and though Maya sometimes did skip class, he was a little paranoid, thinking she was avoiding him. After they had shared that kiss in the rain, he couldn't help but feel like maybe she was trying to steer clear of him for whatever reason. Maybe it was a stupid concern, but they hadn't talked about it, and they both had acted like it hadn't happened the rest of the weekend, so he couldn't help but feel like she was utilizing her avoidance tactics once again.

He was met by the sound of a raspy, barking like cough.

"In here…" Maya groaned nasally, sniffling and sounding like a frog was in her throat.

Lucas walked further into the room, a frown on his face. Maya was sitting bundled up under her covers in a ball, staring blankly at her TV, her eyes hazy and a bit unfocused. He knew something was utterly wrong when he recognized the channel as Country Music Television. Her face was a little paler than usual, no colour to her cheeks and her nose was a bit red. There was a pile of tissues on the floor next to her and an empty bowl.

It didn't take a genius to figure out what was going on.

"Maya, are you sick?"

She chuckled drowsily, before letting out harsh coughs into her elbow.

"I was just thinking about you, Lukey." She muttered, smiling up at him, though her expression was still dazed. "You kissed me, you know?"

Lucas fought the blush that was threatening to rise on his face.

"What are doing up, Maya?" He said, crouching in front of her and gently prying the remote from her small hand. He turned off the TV and set the remote on the dresser beside her bed. "If you're sick, you need to get some sleep."

"I can't…" Maya whined. "My fuzzy wuzzy bear is gone…"

Lucas' brows furrowed, and he put a hand on her forehead. She felt a little hot. Maya gazed at him quietly, her eyes glassy and expression dimmed and unfocused. Lucas took her face in his hands, meeting her eyes and trying to get her to pay a bit more attention.

"Maya, have you taken any medicine?"

"Stop it. I don't need help." Maya pouted stubbornly.

But even as she stated that, she leaned into him, her breathing a little laboured. She giggled sluggishly, sighing cheerfully. If he wasn't so worried about her, Lucas would be focusing on how unbelievably cute she was.

"So I take that as a no."

"Lucas… I'm sick…" she groaned.

"Yeah. I know." Lucas smiled, caressing her cheeks. She leaned into his hand, almost purring and Lucas' heart double-timed in his chest. "I guess kissing you in the rain wasn't a good idea."

"But I liked it…" she muttered, averting her gaze and looking put off, "…Did you not like kissing me?"

Lucas was sure his face was burning with a blush now.

"I did like it. But nevermind that Maya." He cleared his throat, standing up. "Have you had anything? Tea? Or soup? Where's Riley?"

"Wiley went to go buy me some tea." Maya mumbled in baby talk, leaning forward and resting her forehead against his hip. She slipped her arms around one of his legs, clinging to him like some kind of koala. "I had some soup, and then hacked up a lung… I'm sweepy, Wanga Wick…"

"I know you are. Because you're sick." Lucas sighed, threading his hand through her hair and gently massaging her scalp. Maya let out a low moan of appreciation, snuggling against his leg. "I need to get you some medicine."

"No. Go home, Lucas." Maya said softly. "You're going to get sick if you stay here. And if both of us are sick, how are we supposed to get notes for class?"

"I won't get sick, Maya. I'll be okay."

She shook her head. "No… I don't want you here."

"So you're saying you want me to leave?"

"No! I want you here!"

"Okay…" Lucas said slowly in confusion. She really wasn't making much sense, but he figured, seeing as how she was most definitely really sick. "So you don't want me here. But you want me here."

"…I'm scared."

"Why are you scared, Maya?"

Maya stared up at him, a pale blush dotting her cheeks. "…The creepy crawlies are going to get me."

How delirious was she?

"Maya, you really need to get some sleep."

"Then can you sleep with me? I want you to sleep with me, Lucas."

He knew how she had meant the question, but Lucas was still a guy. He couldn't help but think about it the wrong way for a split second, regardless. His brows briefly rose on his forehead, and from the way her eyes widened in alarm, he knew she realized how her words could be misconstrued.

"Maya…"

"Not like that!" She hurried to explain, her face burning with a blush. "I mean, I do want to sleep with you like that eventually. But not right now! I meant sleep with me like cuddling! I want you to spoon me right now and then the other thing later! And I don't mean later as in later today, though. I mean later as in when we're dating. I mean, _if_ you want to date me because I want to be your girlfriend so that we can sleep with each other. But that isn't to say I only want to be with you for _that_ , although I want you to do that to me. _Shit…_ I'm making it worse!"

Lucas was sure his heart was imploding in on itself from her confession. He knew how he felt about his best friend, but he'd never been sure whether she had the same feelings for him. And she had basically just revealed them to him.

Maya groaned in embarrassment, hiding her face in her hands and shaking her head. Lucas couldn't help the smile that came to his lips at her behaviour. If someone had told him years ago that he would really fall for his best friend, he wouldn't have believed it.

Lucas carefully took her hands, moving them from her face. He bent at the waist so they were eye to eye and smiled reassuringly to try to help alleviate some of her discomfort.

"Maya. I get it." He chuckled when she blinked at him with wide, murky eyes. "I can cuddle with you. And the other thing? We can talk about when you're feeling better, okay?"

She nodded silently, chewing on her bottom lip and still looking very embarrassed.

"But you have to promise me that when you wake up, you'll take some medicine."

"I promise." Maya's lips curved up into something of a loopy, goofy smile, and Lucas' heart started dancing in his chest once again. She uncurled herself from the blanket, flattening it out and burrowing under it before patting the space next to her. "Hop in, Sundance!"

He removed his shoes and slid in beside her. He gathered in his arms, pulling her to him and Maya snuggled against his body, sighing in bliss, the scent of vanilla filling his nose. He could feel her body almost melt in his arms as she relaxed into him. She leaned forward and placed a soft kiss on his Adam's apple.

"Thank you, Lucas." she said, her voice hoarse, "Thanks for staying."

"Always… Go to sleep Maya."

He rubbed her back with slow, soothing circles as Maya's laboured breathing slowly evened out and became thick, nasally congested snores. He kissed the top of her head, feeling his own eyes droop shut as well from the comfort from Maya's warm body curled up in his. He didn't think he'd ever felt so relaxed in his life.

And if Lucas was perfectly honest, he wasn't quite sure _what_ they were at this moment, ever since they had kissed. It was still undiscussed and left up in the air.

But what he did know was that this felt right.


	64. Damn, Your Hubby Is Hot

**A/N: Hey 3.14159265358979: If you want my opinion and thoughts on Texas and Lucaya in Texas and stuff, I'm actually going to redirect you to my 'Lucaya Manifesto'. Also, I don't usually like to respond to rants through here unless I continue to see the same concerns from many shippers, so just for simplicity sake and so that we can better discuss things if you would like, I _really_ recommend you create an account so we can PM. It's a lot easier in general! Thank you :) [Also, I'm sorry but the premise of 'He'll Wait' is that Maya does not have feelings for Lucas and Lucas is trapped in an unrequited love, so I can't write that request!]  
**

 **Still haven't responded to everything yet, but guys, you're going to see some sporadic updating for the next handful of weeks (days?). Round three of exams are coming up again and I am starting to get super busy and I'm drained and stressed. Not only that, I have contracted some sort of virus, and I am going to be stuck in bed for a little while, but honestly it doesn't matter to me because reading the amazing and sweet things you guys say and responding to you all is really helping me get through this rough time :')  
**

 _ **Also, remember that I see ALL requests and add them to my list if possible. I write them in the order they were requested. There's no need to request on multiple stories. I see them all. Thank you :)**_

 **On queue:** **define-minkii request for Lucas and Maya texting idiotic things!** **  
**

 **Enjoy! Thank you for the sweet reviews! You guys are honestly so wonderful and I thank you for always supporting me patiently even with my struggles with updating in a timely fashion. Thank you so much for being so sweet! It honestly has helped me get through some rough patches and difficult times! I wish you all the best! :D  
**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own GMW.**

* * *

 **Title: Damn, Your Hubby Is Hot  
Pairings&Characters: Married!Lucaya, Maya, Lucas, OCs**  
 **Genre: Romance,** **Humor, AU  
Rating: T for Tantalizing Husbands  
Summary: Maya's husband is smokin' hot.  
**

 **Request by** **popusoialexandrina for Lucas coming to Maya's class to bring something of hers. This is more of a goofy vignette but I hope you enjoy this! Thanks for the request! :3  
**

 **Note : Do you recognize them? ;) You get a cookie if you can identify them all ;3 (Bonus cookies if you identify the inside joke).  
**

* * *

Maya opened her eyes slowly, blinking as she was roused from sleep and realized that there was something hard poking into her back (hard and hot), and there was a hand nestled under the band of her panties, slowly creeping its way down. Maya let out a soft sigh, small sparks of arousal traveling down her body.

"I suppose this is your idea of a good morning?" Maya mumbled into the pillow, shifting backwards, closer to the warmth from Lucas' body.

"It is." He murmured into her hair, his hand still slowly inching its way to the juncture between her legs. "Good morning, babe."

Maya let out a soft, breathless moan when he stroked her languidly, slowly riling her up as her body came to life from his ministrations.

"Lucas, we can't. I have to get to work in an hour."

"It won't take too long." Lucas muttered darkly, "I promise."

Maya laughed and pulled his hand out before rolling away from him and kicking the covers off. She hopped out of bed, glancing back at Lucas and noting the way his eyes wouldn't stray far from her body. He had some pretty intense morning wood too. She felt a little bad.

"You're really wound up…" Maya said sympathetically as Lucas sat up slowly with a slight hiss.

She tried to keep her attention on his face and not his body, but it was kind of impossible. Plus he had this pull on her, no matter how hard she tried to resist. Even now, just _looking_ at him, she was imagining what they could be doing at the moment instead of talking.

"You kept moaning my name in your sleep." Lucas stretched with a loud yawn and once again, Maya's gaze was drawn to the tent he was pitching. "Can you blame me? I could only think of one thing all night."

Maya had no doubt that was true. She'd had a pretty intense dream, and she would be lying if she said she didn't wish she could get a reenactment of it.

Ah to hell with it.

They both were horny and she knew if this wasn't taken care of, they'd be frustrated and in bad moods all day.

"Okay." Maya finally relented, climbing back on the bed and crawling over to Lucas. She got on top of him, settling herself on his lap and resting her hands on the headboard. "Work your magic. No more than fifteen minutes, got it?"

He rested his hands on her hips, sliding her forward so he was pressed against her heat. He ground slightly against her, and with a soft gasp, Maya breathed out heavily in pleasure, not realizing just how _aroused_ he actually was.

And Maya knew she'd made a mistake.

There was no way he would let this be _just_ fifteen minutes. And from the look in his eye, she knew he was planning on more than one round.

"I can't promise that." he stated, leaning forward and placing feather light kisses against the column of her neck, "Forty-five minutes, max."

"That's too long. Twenty."

His tongue flicked out and he licked the base of her chin, a devious grin on his lips.

"Forty."

Maya pressed against his erection, loving the way he grit his teeth, clearly trying to maintain control.

"Twenty-five."

Lucas rolled them over, lifting Maya's legs to his shoulders as he slowly crawled backwards. He lifted her night dress, sliding it above her hips. Maya shivered when he kissed her right under her navel, the soft tufts of his breath tickling her.

"Thirty."

Maya swallowed thickly, knowing there was no way she could fight this. She wanted it just as badly.

"Fine."

The dangerous look in Lucas' eyes told her she'd just sealed her fate.

There was no way she was going to be on time.

~.~.~

Maya rushed through the hall completely out of breath, her hair flying behind her, heels clicking loudly against the tiles, and some of her coffee splashing on her fingertips as she rounded the corner and skidded into her classroom just as the late bell for first period rang. She hurried to her desk and quickly set all her stuff on it in a practiced, fluid motion without dropping anything or upturning her coffee all over the desk. There was a cheer from her senior class and they stood up, applauding as she straightened and glanced at them.

"Hi, sorry I'm late." Maya faced her students, smoothing her wild hair back as she tried to catch her breath. "I promise it won't happen again."

"Mrs. F." Zuri drawled, standing up and joining the other students in their standing ovation. "No spilled coffee this time. You're getting better at this late thing."

"Thank you." Maya curtsied and then turned around, writing 'abstract' on the chalkboard in all caps. "But don't get used to it. It won't happen again."

"That's what you said last time. This is the third time you've been late to class this week. And that's not even counting the rest of this month, Mrs. Friar." Charlie pointed out with a raised brow, glancing up from her phone. "What gives? Did you miss your subway again?"

What gave was that Lucas was an idiot who had no control over his hormones. She would have expected after being married for almost six years that he would chill out a bit with the whole 'I have to screw my wife at all times' thing, but clearly he was still the hormonal git he was back in college. They'd compromised on thirty minutes, but he had gone way over that time and then some.

Of course, it wasn't like she'd _tried_ to necessarily stop him. Because goodness gracious, the way he had made love to her that morning and touched her, she'd almost lost her mind. She had been speechless and lost in a cloud of passion. And then Lucas had followed Maya into the shower and obviously, stuff had happened there.

By the time she'd finally had enough sense to think about the time, she had been _beyond_ past the time she needed to take her subway. Thankfully, Lucas had driven her, but that still didn't change the fact that she had been late and it was unbecoming. She had to stop letting Lucas have his way with her in the mornings otherwise she would never be on time.

Maya snatched up her bag, rummaging around through it so her students couldn't see the small blush that was starting to rise on her cheeks. Her phone vibrated in her pocket, but she ignored it, trying not to act any more unprofessionally than she already had by being unbelievably late several times this month.

"Yeah, I missed the subway. I had to get a ride from my husband." Maya responded, digging through her bag to find her portfolio for examples of abstract art the students could use in the course that day. "Sorry for being late, guys. I'll try harder."

"That's what you said last time too." Flynn pointed out. "And like last time, he still made you late. How come your husband doesn't try harder to help you leave on time?"

Because her husband was the idiot that always made her late in the first place.

Maya's phone vibrated in her pocket again, but she ignored it, still moving stuff around in her bag. She couldn't find her portfolio. She was certain she had grabbed it on her way out of the apartment. In fact, she distinctly remembered grabbing it from the kitchen table and running to the car with it. Hadn't she? Where was it?

"Okay. I had some stuff to show you guys for the lecture, but it looks like I'll have to wing it today. Sorry."

Chloe rose her hand, her lips pursed in annoyance.

"Yes, Chloe?" Maya asked the redhead.

"Your husband needs to do better to make sure his adorable wife can get to her classes on time. I mean what kind of husband lets his wife be late to work several times a month?" Chloe turned to Mason beside her, linking her arm through his with a giant grin. "You'd never let _me_ be late to anything though, right honey?"

Mason stared blankly at Chloe. "I don't understand."

Chloe rolled her eyes with an irritated sigh.

"Let's get back on track with the lesson today." Maya cut in before this continued, trying to get her class to pay attention to the lecture. The students clearly weren't interested in the lecture. They were more focused on Maya's issues with punctuality. "Besides, it wasn't totally his fault."

"Actually, it _was_ totally my fault." Came Lucas' voice from the doorway.

Everyone turned to the new voice in the doorway, and Maya could swear that breaths caught when her students saw Lucas. Lucas was leaning against her doorway, a small smirk on his lips. Maya quirked a brow, giving him an annoyed look when she realized some of her students were whispering to each other.

"What are you doing here, Lucas?"

He lifted up her portfolio, waving it around.

"I tried to text you, but you wouldn't answer. You left this in my car."

Maya glanced at her students, many of whom were looking wide eyed and a little slack jawed by now.

 _"That's Mr. Friar?!"_

Crap.

None of them had ever seen Lucas before. And now that they had, this couldn't bode well for the lecture today.

Maya walked over to Lucas, not liking the amused twinkle in his eyes and knowing he knew exactly what he had done. She guided him backwards out of the classroom before taking hold of the door and shutting it to give them some privacy.

"Okay. I love you for bringing me my folder, Huckleberry," Maya said, glancing through the mini window of the doorway to see if any of the students were trying to eavesdrop on the conversation, "But did you have to show up unannounced like that?"

"That's not fair…" Lucas said, wrapping an arm around her waist and pulling her to him, "How else was I supposed to get it to you while your class was in session. Plus, that colourful secretary, Mrs. Finkle? She told me how to find you."

No doubt she'd been charmed by Lucas.

"Okay. Fine." Maya squirmed in his grasp but Lucas tightened his hold on her, stopping any of her attempts to escape. "You can leave now. Don't you have to go to work?"

"Why so cold, Shortstack?" he murmured, staring at her lips, "It's such a far cry from this morning that I'm having trouble believing you're that same adorable wife."

Maya glanced around, hoping no one could see them. She wasn't exactly sure of the school policies on PDA since she was still relatively new at this teaching thing, but Lucas was starting to look like he wanted to drag her to his car for a quickie, and she knew if he kissed her, it would be very hard for her to resist cancelling her class and carrying out that debauchery. She had to compromise otherwise he would take measures into his own hands. She just didn't understand how Lucas was so good at seducing her to get her to bend to his will. One of these days, she was going to force _him_ to compromise with her desires.

"Alright. What do you want?"

"A proper thank you." he said, leaning down closer to her, "Where's my payment for this favour?"

Maya lifted her hand and slapped it against his mouth, stopping his descent quickly. Lucas rose a brow.

"How about when we get back home, I'll give you your payment. For as long as you want. Wherever you want. However you want."

"...That works for me. I'll see you when I get home." Lucas said, stepping backwards abruptly and letting go of her, much to her confusion. He set her portfolio in her hand. "I hope you don't go back on your word, Maya. I'll be sad if you do."

And from the dirty wink he gave her, Maya knew she'd made a mistake again. Lucas turned and made his way down the hallway, and Maya groaned, knowing that he had gotten the best of her again.

"Dammit, Ranger Rick…" Maya muttered under her breath.

She might as well cancel the plans they'd made to meet Zay and Farkle for dinner because she had a feeling they wouldn't be leaving their apartment at all that night.

Maya turned around and walked back into her classroom, stopping at the front of her desk. As she expected, all her students were still gaping at her silently. She even had Charlie's undivided attention and the blonde was _always_ on her phone.

"Right. So let's begin our lesson for today. We're going to be focusing on free sketching today. Specifically, sketching abstract art." She lifted her portfolio. "I've brought a few of my own examples of abstract art for references."

There was silence, not a single response from the students. And Maya realized that there was no way class was going to commence today. Not after Lucas' interruption. None of her students would be interested in the lecture.

"Alright. Spit it out." Maya said with a resigned sigh, picking up her coffee before taking a sip and leaning back against her desk. "I know you all have things you want to say. So who's first?"

Zuri slowly raised her hand.

"Whoa… Mrs. F?"

"Yes, Zuri?"

"No wonder you were late… Your husband is _smokin'_ hot."


	65. Thank You, Huckleberry

**A/N: I know I've been admittedly absent for well longer than I should have been. Truth is, I took a break from the oneshots because I fell ill with pneumonia and then I wanted to focus on the multichaptered fics and get some more stuff out for those and then I just lost track of time. I'll try to do better, but finals for this term will be coming up in about a few weeks, so just warning you that this might happen again sometime in the near future before the year ends. And I've decided that these oneshots will always continue, even if Lucaya gets together because ideas never stop. I promise I won't stop this ahahah :)  
**

 **On another note! Hooray that you all picked up on her students! Enjoy your cookies! The kids for anyone who didn't know were Zuri from Jesse, Flynn from Shake It Up, Charlie from Good Luck Charlie, Mason and Chloe from Dog With A Blog. It turns out there were two inside jokes! Zuri's "smokin' hot" was totally unintentional and I didn't even realize that she said something like that in an episode LOL but I'm glad it worked out that way! The inside joke/lame pun I _was_ referring to was "Plus that colourful secretary, Mrs. Finkle? She told me how to find you.  No doubt she'd been _charmed_ by Lucas _._ " LOL get it? _Charmed?_ Ahahah I know I'm lame. ;D  
**

 **Hi Cool Hand Lucaya! Lol when Maya got home later that evening, Lucas brought out their rope and tied her to the bed via "wanna see a rope trick" and let's just say that Maya started leaving her portfolio in his car on purpose after that. ;D As for Maya's payback? That might become a oneshot on its own... Hmmm...  
**

 **Hi Hotpotsunday! The kids are seniors in high school in that one shot :)**

 **On queue:** **miaadventure request for Farkle and Riley spying on Lucas and Maya!** **  
**

 **Enjoy! Thank you all for all your support and patience with me! I know I'm absolutely dreadful at keeping up with things and I'm working on that in general, even in general life, but I honestly appreciate you guys putting up with how slow I am to update. It honestly means the world to me and thank you so much for that. I mean it. It's so sweet of you guys. :)  
**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own GMW.**

* * *

 **Title: Thank You, Huckleberry  
Pairings&Characters: Lucaya**  
 **Genre:** **Friendship,** **Romance,** **WAFF/Fluff, Humor (eh kind of?), AU with canon references  
Rating: T for Texting Dork  
Summary: Maya hates her new school. But at least Lucas helped make her first day somewhat enjoyable.  
**

 **Request by** **define-minkii for Lucas texting cheesy pick up lines to Maya. This is pretty rough, it was hard to write for some reason; I'm a little rusty and I think towards the end I got kind of lazy... I'm sorry if it's disappointing! I'll make it up to you if you honestly want me to! Thank you for the request, love! :3  
**

 **Inspired by Jncera!**

* * *

 _"Ms. Hart. Your daughter has exceptional marks and achieved phenomenal scores on a diagnostic secretly administered by her school and has garnered much state attention with her aptitude in the studio arts. As a school very big on the arts in general and cultivating skills in the arts, this achievement stood out to us the most."_

 _Katy smiled widely, chuckling, her hand on her heart. "Baby girl, I'm so proud of you."_

 _"Yeah…" Maya said a bit awkwardly, not really sure how she felt about this situation, "Thanks Mom."_

 _She didn't really like the way this conversation was going. In fact, if she thought about it for real, it reminded her an awful lot like the representative who came to recruit Farkle to Einstein Academy back when they were in junior high._

 _"Davenport Academy wants Maya among the members of our student body. We wish to award her the Davenport Outstanding Scholar Award, which will provide full tuition for her three year duration at our institution. The scholarship is usually awarded to incoming freshman, but seeing as how Maya will be a sophomore, should you choose to enroll, we are making an exception. That's how much we want your daughter at our school."_

 _The woman slid a packet across the table towards Katy, and Maya looked at it warily, her stomach dropping to her feet as she watched her mother pick it up with interest._

 _"Here is a package with all the information and everything we are offering for your daughter." She turned to Maya. "Maya, we can provide you with ample resources necessary to advance your artistic abilities as well with state of the art equipment, materials, supplies and instruction, substantial opportunities for travelling and studying abroad, internships with MOMA and more, as well as pre-college programs to prepare you for possible careers in art if you are interested."_

 _"Oh that's cool… I guess…" Maya said hesitantly, staring at her fisted hands in her lap.  
_

 _She had no interest in going to some fancy shmancy private school with state of the art equipment on the upper east side. How was she supposed to enjoy school if she couldn't even spend it with her best friends? How was she supposed to enjoy school if so many of the students at the school were possibly rich snobs and assholes.  
_

 _"Please consider our offer to enroll your daughter at Davenport. We could really benefit from a student like Maya. If you will excuse me." The woman stood up with her briefcase and a smile. "Thank you for your time and for the tea. I hope to hear back from you soon regarding your decision."_

 _"Oh you're very welcome." Katy said, "Let me walk you out."_

 _As her mother left the living room to guide their guest out, Maya stared at the thing on the table signifying her doom. She really did have a bad feeling about this. It was starting to look pretty clear how this was going to end and honestly, it scared the crap out of Maya._

 _When Katy came back and sat back down on the couch, Maya immediately tried to stand up and leave._

 _"Well, someone has to make dinner tonight and it's not going to be me."_

 _"Maya, sit down." Katy said seriously, "We need to talk about this."_

 _Maya plopped back down on the sofa in a heap of limbs, sighing dejectedly._

 _"Mom, I really don't want to go to Davenport. I don't want to change schools and leave all my friends. Besides, I already spent freshman year at JQA. It would suck having to start fresh at a school as a sophomore."_

 _"Maya, do you understand how amazing an opportunity this is? Tuition for Davenport is almost twenty-five thousand per year. And you have the opportunity to go for free for the remainder of high school." Katy reasoned. "I understand your desire to stay with your friends and the people you know, but you can hang out with them whenever. And you'll make new friends too. Davenport is a prestigious academy that so many people dream of being admitted to and they sought you out of anybody."_

 _"But Mom…"_

 _"Opportunities like this come once in a lifetime, Maya, and you can't miss this one. You'll regret it your whole life if you give up this chance."_

 _Maya rolled her eyes, sulking and knowing she practically had no say in the matter because her mother would make it happen regardless._

 _"Please Maya. You've worked so hard and deserve this, baby girl. Take this chance and go to Davenport and show the world just how incredible Maya Penelope Hart really is."_

 _"_ _…Fine."_

* * *

Maya sank down in a seat at the very back of her American Lit course, growling under her breath in annoyance at the uncomfortable chafing of the wool, gray uniform skirt against her thighs. She hated the stupid lame uniform with the dark blue blazer and white blouse and maroon tie. The worst parts were the knee high socks and the required oxfords. She couldn't even wear her precious heeled boots, and she felt so naked without them.

She felt really out of place at this school. No one had said a word to her or even attempted to talk to her yet, every single one of them wrapped up in their own lives and friends they'd already made or had their whole lives. No doubt no one cared about the new girl with the non-designer bookbag and the blonde hair that looked like a lion's mane on her head. She'd woken up late and had forgotten just how much longer it would take to get to the school since it was on the other side of the city and had to rush. In the process, she hadn't had the proper chance to take care of her hair and so it was pretty wild today. She'd been running her fingers through it every once in a while to try to comb it out and keep it tamed, but she knew it wasn't doing much. But there was nothing she could do since she'd left her brush at Riley's.

Maya had slept over at Riley's the night before as was tradition for the day before the first day of school. Riley had bawled like a baby almost the entire night and morning though, upset that they couldn't spend the rest of their high school life together tearing up the halls of the school and that Maya could no longer show up at early hours of the morning to wake her up to go to school together.

It only made Maya hate Davenport and the circumstances even more. Lucas had told Maya she would hate it at first because it was a new place where she would essentially have to start over, but he had no doubt she would be okay, and it would grow on her by the end of her first day.

Obviously, she didn't believe a word of that crap and told him such, though he'd only grinned as if he knew something she didn't.

But it looked like he was going to be wrong. So far, it _sucked._

Class began, and Maya pulled out her notebook, knowing she wasn't going to be paying any attention to the lecture whatsoever. She just wasn't in the mood.

And as if magic, her phone screen lit up with the arrival of a text from Lucas.

 **You look like trash, can I take you out?**

She blinked for a second before her brows furrowed, wondering if she really had received that message from him. Or if it was some kind of typo. So she didn't respond, waiting to see if he would correct the mistake.

He didn't.

 _trash?_

 **Yeah. You look like trash, can I take you out?**

It took Maya a while to collect her thoughts or even think how to respond. Her first instinct was to believe maybe he was talking in code, but Lucas wasn't like that when he texted.

 _is this actually lucas? who tf is this?  
_

 **It's me Shortstack.**

 _so then is there a reason you sent me this stupid message, huckleberry?_

 **You told me you were bored during your homeroom. I figured why not send you some cheesy pick up lines.**

 _…why pick up lines?_

 **To make you smile. Because of all your beautiful curves, your smile is my favourite.**

 _i think i just threw my breakfast up_

 **I thought that one was pretty good actually. Don't I get a reward for my efforts?**

 _yeah. a lack of response. bye_

 **How's Davenport so far?**

 _well, aside from some upper class snobs, designer handbags, crappy uniforms and million dollar trust fund kids, it's… hmmm. Terrible_

 **Maya, you just haven't given it a chance yet. It might seem bad right now, but it could be a lot better than you anticipate.**

 _doubt it_

 **You'll see. I'm usually right about these things.**

 _w/e cowboy_

 **I have to go. Class. I'll text you later.**

 _i hope your texts aren't crap like those pickup lines you've sent me, otherwise i'm putting my phone on do not disturb._

 **You say crap. I say brilliant poetry.**

Maya smiled slightly, shaking her head in mirth as she tuned out the lecture and started daydreaming, sketching out Lucas' face in her math notebook.

~.~.~

Her history class was a total drag.

Maya's teacher droned on and on and students were expected to write down every single thing he stated and wrote on the board. He had no enthusiasm for the subject and just rattled out fact after fact. His incessant monotonous speech was seriously grating her nerves and Maya could tell everyone else was in much the same mindset. She was _this_ close to snapping her pencil in half. This man was so annoying.

Maya was half tempted to ask how they could utilize what they were learning and apply it to their everyday life, but she doubted she would get a satisfactory answer.

Her face fell.

She missed her old history classes with her friends.

She never realized just how much she enjoyed it up until now. However unstructured and distracted they may have been, they surprisingly learned a lot and in a way that resonated with their lives.

Her phone buzzed, and she eagerly pulled it out of her desk, happy for the distraction because there was no way she was going to pay attention in this course. She would read the material from the textbook instead because she could barely focus with such a terrible teacher. She could tell this was probably _that_ teacher that everyone complained about for sophomore year that no one wanted to have.

 **You're a 50% Maya.**

Maya's brows furrowed, an incredulous look on her face as she read it again to see if she misunderstood something.

 _you need better lead ins. what the hell are you talking about?_

 **You're a 50%. Out of 100%.**

Her eyes narrowed.

 _50%? and where's the other 50%?_

 **It's me :) Because you plus me? We make a whole.**

 _*sigh* i can't stand you right now_

 **You love me.**

 _i'm literally fighting my gag reflex with everything i have._

 **Hmmm… make the joke or don't make the joke.**

 _i can help you with that one. make the joke and i'm not responding to you anymore._

Lucas didn't respond for a minute, and Maya occupied the time she waited by doodling in the margins of her notebook, listening as two girls in the seats behind her whispered about some yacht one of the girls' fathers was buying her for her sweet sixteenth.

She knew Farkle was rich, but _this_ was just crazy. Whatever happened to getting cars on sixteenth birthdays?

Lucas' text came and she diverted her attention from those girls.

 **Maya. If nothing lasts forever, will you be my nothing?**

 _why do you keep sending me these terrible pick-up lines?_

 **So you have something to enjoy throughout your day. And by the end of the day, you'll have a collection of Lucas Friar's pickup lines. Every hour. All day today. Get excited.**

 _you're annoying af. these are lame af, and i can't focus in class because of you._

 **Don't even. You never focus in class.**

Well. It wasn't a lie.

Maya rolled her eyes, though she had a smile on her face. She couldn't lie that despite how irritating Lucas' stupid texts were, they _were_ bringing a smile to her face.

~.~.~

Maya had a student "buddy" that she was supposed to sit with at lunch since she was a transfer and who was supposed to guide her through her first day, but honestly, she didn't want to have to be forced with some person who couldn't give a rat's ass or be bothered to try to find her as she was supposed to.

Besides, she had a date with the picnic bench under the shade of a tree outside the cafeteria where most upperclassman had lunch. It was calling her name to chill and sketch in her pad.

But lunch was amazing. The cafeteria was loads bigger than JQA's, arranged with many different options along the walls. Typical fried fare. A sandwich station. A brick oven for homemade pizzas. A fully stocked salad bar. A Wok station. A make your own burrito station. There were serving crab cakes at a chef's table as a special treat for the students. Mouthwatering scents and aromas that made Maya's stomach growl in anticipation.

This was heaven for sure.

By the time she'd gotten her food and sat under the picnic bench, Lucas had texted her already.

 **Lunchtime, finally. And to commemorate it: If you were a vegetable, you'd be a cute-cumber.**

 _no. just no_

 **Alright then. Are you a fruit because honeydew you know how fine you look right now?**

 _you can't even see me. at least pick ones that apply_

 **I had a feeling you would respond like that. I have even more backups prepared for negative reactions.**

 _you are one dorky ass guy… why is it that girls always get crushes on you?_

 **I'm sexy and you know it.**

Maya actually did laugh aloud at that, almost spitting out her water when she read his response. He was such a dumbass. Man, she missed chilling with him during classes.

 _lucas… i don't how to tell you this sweetie, but you've been lied to_

 **Really? Certainly isn't what you thought when we all went to the beach last summer and I had my shirt off. I saw you staring.**

 _so calling BS. you wish i would stare at you_

 **You stare at me all the time.**

 _proof, or it never happened_

 **Fine. I'll record it one of these days when you're not paying attention and then we'll see who's BSing.**

 _mmhmm… you do that_

He didn't respond for a few minutes, and Maya took to sketching some of the people chilling at the small picnic tables around her as she nibbled on her food. It was _divine_. This was officially her favourite part of the day without a doubt, and she knew nothing could top this experience now.

Her phone buzzed with the arrival of another text message and she snorted when she read it.

 **Billy just snorted milk out of his nose.**

 _sounds hilarious. what happened?_

 **Riley accidentally tripped her dad and there was an incident with soup.**

 _ooooohhhh that doesn't sound good. who got soup'ed? riles?_

 **She's unscathed. Mr. Matthews on the other hand? Hot soup down ones pants is pure agony. I know that from experience.**

 _LOL! oh riley. when will she finally grow into her gazelle limbs?_

 **Okay, here's your back up line: Did you sit on sugar? Because you have one sweet ass.**

 _can't say that i disagree. but i'm disappointed. what? going with pervy stuff now because you can't figure out something better?_

 **Maybe… Hey. You never sent me a picture of what you look like in your uniform.**

 _no_

 **C'mon. Inquiring minds want to know.**

 _you're going to be a perv about it. especially the fact that i'm showing a lot of leg_

 **That's definitely true.**

Maya snorted, rolling her eyes.

 _fine_

She stood up and took a quick pic so he could see the bulk of the uniform: the gag inducing oxfords and stockings and pleated skirt and blazer. She sent it to him, staring at her phone and anticipating his response to her picture.

He answered back shortly after.

 **Damn… if being sexy were a crime, you'd be guilty as charged.**

Maya bit her lower lip to hold back her pleased smile. She could just imagine that Lucas was waggling his eyebrows suggestively. She didn't believe him though. The uniform was unflattering to the figure and looked so outdated and lame. But she really appreciated the comment. It was sweet of him to say.

 _oh my god… you really are a dork_

 **Did I succeed in making you smile though?**

 _you might have_

 **Then I did my job right.**

Maya rolled her eyes and then sent him a selfie of her sticking her tongue out at him. He responded shortly after.

 **Are you a parking ticket? You've got fine written all over you.**

 _tell me honestly: are you drunk?_

 **Not drunk on liquor ;) But I'm definitely intoxicated by you.**

 _…walked right into that one_

 **Yeah you did.**

 _why are you sending me so many of these at once? what happened to every hour?_

 **It's lunch time. You need extra company, so I'm giving you that. Riley says hi by the way.**

 _just hi?_

 **I abbreviated her message.**

 _how long was it?_

 **She's still not done talking yet.**

Maya chuckled though her heart was tugging a bit painfully in her chest.

 _classic riley. how is she doing?_

 **She was moping a lot the first half of the day, but she said if you're being strong, she has to be strong too.**

 _it's going to be so hard the rest of this year…_

 **You guys will be okay. And worse case scenario, you can just spend every day glued to your phones.**

 _yeah… i guess_

But Maya knew it would still be rather difficult to change up the way things used to be. Not being in the same school as Riley was really throwing her off.

 **What time do you have to go back to heaven, angel? Oops. I mean class.**

 _and here comes my lunch…_

~.~.~

As soon as the bell rang signifying the end of the day, Maya had shoved all her books into her bag and shot out of her chair, fixing to hightail it out of there.

The sooner she got out of school and back home to change, the better. She could head to Topanga's for a first day of sophomore year kick back with all her friends and finally be reunited with her lovely pumpkin.

But even if Maya's social life remained rubble in this stupid school, at least her classes were pretty good aside from history. She had expected them to be dreadfully hard and terribly boring, but she'd been able to understand things and keep up with the brisk methods of teaching fairly easily. And even if she didn't have any friends at this school and no one had bothered to take a chance on the "new girl", the lectures were enrapturing enough that it provided a nice distraction. She could focus on her classes only and just ignore the social aspect of the school.

Maya snatched out her phone, intending to read the messages Lucas had left her the past three hours. Her last classes had been Studio Art, Algebra, and French, all classes she couldn't particularly not pay attention in since they were active participation courses, so she hadn't had a chance to respond to Lucas, much less read them.

As she began to walk out of the room, someone tapped on her shoulder. Maya turned around and a girl just about her height was grinning at her. Maya rose a brow in question.

"Hey. Are you a junior?" she asked curiously.

"Uh no." Maya responded. "I'm a sophomore."

"Oh great! I thought I was the only sophomore in our AP French class but then I saw you, and I thought you were in my history class for sure. I'm Nina Garzon, by the way. I'm also a sophomore and I was so scared to speak in this class with all these upperclassman students because I don't really think I'm good enough yet, but you're like _amazing_ at French and like answered all her questions, and I totally want to get up to your level. What's your name?"

Maya blinked in surprise, a little taken off guard by the speed with which she was talking.

"I'm Maya Hart. And thanks. I actually spent half a summer in Nice with my best friend and got a lot better at it by speaking with the locals."

"Wow. That sounds _really_ cool. I've always wanted to go to France. I would love to hear about it sometime. Hey, if you don't mind, can we be French and history class buddies?"

"I guess." Maya said, honestly surprised by the whole encounter.

"And you should totally eat lunch with me and my friends tomorrow! They're like obsessed with travelling and stuff, and I'm sure they'd love to hear about your summer too."

"Okay." Maya responded with a small smile. "Yeah sure. That sounds nice."

"Sweet! I'll see you tomorrow, Maya!"

Nina waved and sped off, and Maya stood there for a moment, slightly astonished by what had just happened. She hadn't expected much from this school. Didn't think anyone would be that friendly, but with one small conversation, someone had managed to shatter that image.

And Maya knew she felt it.

Hope.

Maybe this school wouldn't be so bad after all…

She was roused out of her slight daydream from Lucas' sudden text.

 **Hey. Is school over for you?**

 _yeah just about… i'm heading out soon_

Maya rucked her bag higher on her shoulder and then made her way towards the front of the school hurriedly.

 _now i have to walk like ten miles just to get to a subway station and then switch like five different lines to get home because this dumb school is on another side of the city from where i live  
_

Maya pushed open the doors of the school, walking out and staring at her phone, texting Riley in response to her inquiries about whether she survived the first day and if she was still coming to Topanga's to hang.

There were a bunch of people chilling around the front and several girls being really loud and giggling, but Maya ignored the tittering, her nose glued to her phone as she waited for Lucas' response.

 **Maybe you don't have to. I have a better solution.**

 _what?_

 **Look up.**

Maya rose her head and suddenly realized why there were so many girls tittering and making a lot of noise in the front of the school. Leaning against the side of his truck, phone in hand and smiling, was Lucas himself. Maya's heart skipped a beat in her chest, and she was frozen in place for a moment, not believing what she was seeing.

But she composed herself quickly and walked over to him, a breathless laugh leaving her lips as her smile threatened to split her face in half.

"Really Ranger Rick? What's with the cool guy pose? You look so stupid."

"I mean, clearly I look cool, seeing as how I'm getting all these stares." He shrugged with a smile. His eyes ran down her form as he checked her out in her uniform. "But damn, you really do look great in that uniform."

"You're drooling, Lucas. Fix your face. You're embarrassing me." She teased. "What are you doing here? School just ended for you too, didn't it?"

"I wanted to come pick you up on your first day and skipped my last class. Even though some of them might have designer purses and trust funds and what not, they don't have a Lucas Friar who loves them."

"Lucas…"

"Don't cry, Maya." He tugged her forward by the waist, wrapping her up into his arms in a warm hug.

"I'm not crying, stupid." Maya hid her face in his chest, hoping the tears that were collecting at the edge of her eyes could dissipate. "You're amazing… And today would have royally sucked if it weren't for you."

"It couldn't have been all bad."

"Well, lunch was pretty good. They had crab cakes today. Can you believe it? And my studio art room is incredible. They've got so many different kinds of paints and the best part is we don't have to pay anything at all at the beginning of the year for the materials we use in class. Our teacher let us do free painting today, and I just experimented with every kind of paint in existence in that room. It was like a dream come true. And I guess I did kind of make a friend. I'm eating lunch with her and her friends tomorrow. And my classes aren't bad except for my stupid history class which is so incredibly boring because of my lame teacher. I can't even begin to describe how that class sucks your soul out of you."

When she glanced up at him, Lucas was watching her with a small smile on his face. He reached up and gently brushed some hair out of her face and behind her ear.

"See?" he said, his eyes dancing with warmth, "And you thought you would absolutely hate it."

"Whatever Sundance. It still sucked though."

"Sure it did." he drawled, "It grew on you. Admit it. I was right."

"Fine." Maya rolled her eyes. "You were right."

"Yes I was…"

He leaned down as she rose to her tip toes and pressed his lips to hers. She smiled, sliding her arm up around his neck and humming into the kiss as he deepened it. It was slow and easy, unhurried, and Maya grew a bit breathless from the way he caressed her lips with his own.

He sucked her lower lip in between his teeth as he broke away, grinning deviously as Maya blinked up at him with wide, dazed eyes, trying to catch her breath. Maya ignored the curious looks and surprised faces of the students nearby.

"You exaggerated that kiss on purpose."

"I mean, nothing wrong with bragging a little, right? I've got the most beautiful girl in this school as my girlfriend, and I want every guy here to know you're taken."

"…Dumbass." She said, though her cheeks were burning with a blush.

"Your eyes are blue like the ocean, and baby, I'm lost at sea…" Lucas murmured against her lips with a soft smile, "Last one. I swear."

It was stupid. It really was a dumb pick-up line, but Maya's heart starting thumping hard in her chest as she held his gaze. Lucas had made this day amazing, had kept her company throughout it all, and he even sacrificed his own time to come pick her up. It warmed her heart.

"You know what? You actually do deserve a reward." Maya said, looking up at him through her eyelashes and tracing a pattern on his chest with her finger, "If you can get us back to my place in fifteen minutes, I'll let you go to second base."

He stared at her in stunned silence for a moment, his facial expression looking absolutely shocked though there was a slight gleam in his eyes.

"Clock's ticking, Huckleberry…"

"Get in the car. Now."


	66. Spying Is Bad, Kids

**A/N: School is so brutal right now... Didn't even hesitate to dump the workload on my shoulders before finals lol. Papers, exams, projects. School is _so much_ fun. Not.  
**

 **Hi Guest! It goes like this, French, Feel/Finger, Fellatio/Oral, Fuck. Second base is feel/finger. At least, that's what I learned it was. If I'm wrong, someone feel free to correct me. Hi jaseve! Davenport Academy wasn't intended to be connected with Lab Rats. Lol I just realized their last name is Davenport too. Ahaha thanks for letting me know :) Hi Lucaya4ever! How many more of the 'Love and War' ones? That's a secret ;3  
**

 **On queue:** **Guest request for Cory POV of Lucaya fight!** **  
**

 **Enjoy! Thank you for the sweet reviews! You all are so wonderful and amazing and I really appreciate all the support you have given me through this time! I appreciate all the kind words and everything you all have done to help me get to this point. I owe it all to you guys and you don't know how much you all mean the world to me! So thank you for being you and thank you for accepting me and all my weirdoness and craziness and perviness. I love you guys! :)  
**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own GMW.**

* * *

 **Title: Spying Is Bad, Kids  
Pairings&Characters: Riley, Farkle, Lucas, Maya**  
 **Genre: Angst,** **Humor ( dirty), ****Friendship,** **AU  
Rating: "Very High T" for The Suggestive Dialogue (This is actually pretty dirty and raunchy, so be prepared. You've been warned.)  
Summary: A simple project ended up in the scarring of a lifetime.  
**

 **Request by miaadventure for Farkle and Riley spying on Lucas and Maya for a photography project. Couldn't help but turn this into vulgarity! And I'm sorry. I still have a lot of trouble writing Farkle for some reason so I hope this works and isn't too OOC! Thank you for the request! :)**

 **Request by** **ForeverInParadise for Farkle and Riley having to scour their eyes out because of Lucas and Maya. Not exactly what you were probably expecting, but I hope it works! Thank you for the request, love! :3  
**

 **Request by Guest and 'from tumblr' for kinky stuff. It's fairly tame as far as "kinky" goes, but if what you were hoping for was full blown lol, there was no way I could write it within my rating constraints. I hope this works well enough nonetheless! Thank you for the requests! :D**

 **Note : This might be awkward and raunchy af. Again, you've been hella warned ;3**

* * *

"This project will be a focus on everyday life. So I want you to pick a subject and I want you to capture the essence of what life is. The meaning of life. What defines life." Mrs. Dillman, the photography teacher said, "Just one photo of whatever subject you choose. This will be the first of many and by the end, you will have a great collage of all these pieces that will create one big and beautiful image of life."

Riley sighed, slumping a little in her seat as Farkle took diligent notes beside her. She had taken Photography I as an elective course with Farkle because neither of them had done any throughout all of high school and at least one full year of an elective was required for them to graduate that year. She supposed this class was relatively simple and easy compared to other electives, but she wasn't much of a fan of photography and she found herself really bored with the tediousness of sitting still and observing subjects before determining the perfect way to capture the photo. Farkle _loved_ the class though, particularly the meticulousness involved in photography and ensuring that what came out of the work was satisfactory. Mrs. Dillman adored Farkle's work, while to Riley she had told that maybe she would find her passion in photography as the year went on. She knew what _that_ meant. No talent in that department.

She sighed. It was yet another thing she scratched off of her possible talents list. When would she finally find hers?

"Have you already picked a subject to observe?" Riley asked Farkle quietly.

"I was thinking city life in the street maybe from bird's eye view because it's always bustling with activity which is pretty much the definition of life. Or maybe I can go introspective and capture something like trees in the wind to demonstrate the subtle, quiet beauty that we tend to miss because we're so engrossed in our everyday lives."

Riley almost groaned, wondering how it was that Farkle managed to think of those ideas so quickly when their teacher only just brought up the project.

"But, I know most of you are probably thinking that you'll take a picture of the city life, right?" Mrs. Dillman continued, "So I've set restrictions. You have to capture humans. I'll let you be the judge of that decision. No babies allowed. Alright guys, this is due by the end of the week so do your best. Class dismissed."

As Riley left class with Farkle, she couldn't help but get a little excited. Maybe this project was still tedious, but if humans were the target captures in the photos, she knew just who to pick. Maya would be an easy subject, since she was the epitome of what it meant to live life to the fullest despite the rough hand she'd been dealt. Plus Riley had easy and frequent access to Maya. She could photograph Maya.

"Farkle, have you thought of what you're going to do?"

"Yeah. I don't want my project to look like everybody else's and I know they'll all just take photos of huge masses of people and call it a day, so I think I'm going to capture Lucas or something." Farkle responded pensively.

"Same here!" Riley said cheerfully, spinning in the hallway, "I'm going to photograph Maya so I can get the best moment of what she does that defines life."

Farkle smirked. "Want to make it a competition?"

She glanced at Farkle, her brows slightly furrowed in intrigue. "A competition?"

"Yeah. To see which one of us can get the best picture of our friends. Loser owes the winner a milkshake."

It was funny to see that even though their parents had been the ones with the grade feud, that the torch had now been passed on to the two of them and the rivalry still existed to this day. Riley had a feeling years down the line, once they'd married their respective partners and had their children, they would still be academic rivals and even their children would be academic rivals.

Riley grinned.

"You're on, Farkle. And to make it fair, Zay will be the judge of the photos since he's a neutral party."

"You've got yourself a deal."

* * *

Even though Farkle had initiated the competition with Riley, par for the course of course since they were academic rivals and it was a given, it had definitely been a false show of confidence. Truth be told, Farkle didn't really have any clue of what to pick for his photography of Lucas that would define life when he'd made the competition.

He had originally thought Lucas playing baseball and associating with his team would work best in order to show the connections people made in life and how life was in a way about the important forged relationships built with other people, but he'd shucked the idea because it just didn't scream _Lucas_ for some reason. And the photograph had to fit with Lucas' life as well as define life.

And then Farkle realized he honestly didn't know what Lucas did on a day to day basis or what else he did after his baseball practices.

So Farkle decided to spy on him. Follow him around and figure out what defined most of Lucas' life so Farkle could determine the perfect abstract photograph of his friend. He had been hoping for something substantial possibly. Something that could truly define Lucas Friar and life all at once.

But he was starting to think that Lucas was one of the most boring people ever.

After his practice, he had made a phone call and talked for a good thirty minutes as he walked down the sidewalk. Farkle had followed closely behind, camera in hand, taking pictures every once in a while to figure out the best lighting for Lucas and what angles would make him stand out the best against the environment. He hadn't been heading in the direction of his home, so Farkle had been intrigued as to where he was going.

But Lucas entered a small grocery store.

Farkle followed him through the aisles, his brows furrowed in confusion. He thought maybe Lucas would be making an important selection, but he went right to the freezer section and then grabbed a can of whipped cream. Farkle was a little confused, but he didn't make much of it, continuing to follow Lucas as he made his purchase and headed on his way.

There had to be something better to photograph.

And with that thought in mind, Farkle continued his nonchalant, blending in with the crowd following of Lucas.

* * *

Even though Riley had thought figuring out the best picture of Maya's life would be easy, she realized that though Maya spent a lot of time with her and she knew her inside out, she didn't really know what most of Maya's activities consisted of on a day to day basis when she wasn't hanging out with Riley.

So Riley had no choice but to spy on her since she didn't quite know what she was looking for. She figured if she followed Maya around, she could get some good shots. Especially if she was in a rebellious kind of mood and decided to hang out with her fellow rebels.

But after Maya left her shift at Topanga's, she had texted Riley letting her know she couldn't come hang out with her because she was helping her mother make dinner that night since Shawn was coming over that evening for a dinner date. It had been disappointing to Riley because that meant that Maya wouldn't be doing her super rebellious or badass activities with her artsy friends, but at least a photo of her best friend eating with her mom could show the social aspect of life and how humans tended to forge long-lasting relationships with people important to them because the epitome of life were relationships and the people they met and connected with.

She only hoped it would be enough to beat Farkle.

Riley had assumed Maya would be going straight home after receiving some phone call which she presumed was from her mom. Which was why she was so surprised when Maya didn't change subway lines when she should have and instead got out of the station entirely. Riley had followed her, finding it odd that Maya hadn't gone straight home since she had a dinner to make with her mother.

In fact, Maya entered one of the obscure little clothing stores on the side of the street. Riley followed her, sneaking behind different mannequins and the clothing racks in order to keep her eye on Maya. She almost knocked a mannequin over, but was able to save the situation by catching it before it could hit the ground with a clatter and she would get discovered.

Maya walked straight through the store to the back and to Riley's surprise, stopped in the lingerie section. To her even bigger surprise, Maya wasted no time in picking out some silk, lacy negligee from a rack before heading back towards the front of the store. Riley scurried out of the way and buried her head in a bin full of panties on sale as Maya walked by her, hiding her face. Once she deemed it safe, Riley lifted her head and snuck her way towards the front. Maya purchased her selections and then left with her bag. Once Maya was back out on the street, she stuffed them in her school bag and continued on her way down the sidewalk.

Riley was a little confused about why Maya had bought it, but she figured maybe she was doing her mother a favour. After all, Shawn _was_ coming over, and though it grossed Riley out to think about it at all, she knew what that meant for Katy.

Shuddering in slight disgust, Riley continued to follow Maya, hiding behind light fixtures and other people to stay stealthy.

* * *

Farkle was getting kind of fed up.

Lucas seemed to be in a leisurely kind of mood that day. He had literally been walking for over twenty minutes and didn't seem to have any particular pressing destination in mind. It seemed like he was heading nowhere, and it was kind of annoying Farkle because that meant he wouldn't be able to find a decent enough picture that evening.

Just as he was starting to consider dropping it for the day and trying again the next day, Lucas walked into a convenience store.

"Finally…" Farkle muttered, waiting a handful of seconds before he walked in as well.

He pretended he was nonchalantly browsing the different aisles until he finally found Lucas in the middle of one. He stayed partially hidden, peeking out of the side and paying attention to where Lucas was perusing the contents of the aisle, scrutinizing something before he picked up an item and left.

As soon as Lucas had disappeared from view, Farkle raced into the aisle to where Lucas had been standing and observed the stuff.

Condoms.

Farkle's brow lifted in confusion. What the heck did Lucas need to buy a whole new box of condoms for?

Well, Farkle _knew_ what guys usually bought condoms for. He just didn't know why _Lucas_ was buying them. As far as he knew, he didn't think Lucas was seeing anyone, sexually or otherwise.

He snapped out of his pondering when he heard the convenience store bell ring again. Farkle hurried on his way towards the front, noticing that Lucas had indeed left. He left the store as well and continued to follow Lucas, now thoroughly confused what the heck he was doing. He had thought Lucas' after baseball life was a bit boring, but now he didn't understand what the heck was even happening at all.

This project was starting to look like one big mysterious headache.

He only hoped Riley wasn't faring better than him otherwise he would have to admit defeat and that scared him more than actually losing.

* * *

Riley stared at the entrance of the store, chewing her lower lip nervously.

She couldn't go in there. She just _couldn't_.

Yes, she had to follow Maya. Yes, she could miss some good picture taking possibilities if she didn't follow her, but this was just embarrassing. Riley wasn't eighteen yet! And she felt totally uncomfortable even daring to walk in there. Heck, she felt wholly uncomfortable even standing in front of it. There was no way this could be okay.

What was Maya doing going into a sex shop of all places?

She must have really been doing her mom a big favour if she was running errands for her and picking up some stuff for Katy's big date.

Taking a deep breath and swallowing her fears, Riley steeled her nerves and raced inside, trying to keep her eyes off of the toys and trinkets and other disturbing sexual things that seemed to be lining the entire place. It was so _red_ and suggestive and there was some filthy music playing in the background that made Riley feel dirty just for taking a step inside the place.

She held her head high though, hoping that if she looked confident enough, the store clerk behind the check out counter wouldn't ask for her ID. Plus, she was fairly certain with her height, most people tended to think she was older than she already was. But when she chanced a glance at the guy behind the counter, he was reading a magazine, clearly not caring enough to check for proof of age. So Riley hurried on by, looking around frantically for Maya.

She found Maya looking at handcuffs in an area of the store that clearly was focused on BDSM. It honestly _scared_ Riley. Some of the contraptions were terrifying and looked like mechanisms used in Europe back in the 16th century. Maya picked up a pair of fuzzy pink handcuffs, the same colour as the lingerie she'd bought earlier.

Honestly, Riley truly applauded the relationship Maya had with her mother if she was able to purchase her items for her date nights. Riley was still utterly appalled with the idea that her own mother and father even had sex in the first place. And Maya bought _handcuffs_. Just what kind of kinky stuff was Katy into anyway? The fact that Maya knew her mother's preferences was a little horrifying. Did they have long conversations about this?

Maya walked back to the front and bought her handcuffs, stuffing them in her school bag before she headed on her way out. Riley rushed after her, keeping her eyes off of the curious store clerk. She found Maya checking her phone outside, cursing under her breath, and then she began to walk faster, clearly in a rush to get somewhere on time. Riley upped her speed and followed Maya more carefully so she wouldn't lose her tiny friend in the crowd.

She only hoped Farkle wasn't doing better than her because if he was then she would have to admit defeat and she'd rather go back into that sex shop than listen to him gloat for ages about his victory.

* * *

Farkle walked across the fire escape of Lucas' room, carefully peering into the window and was pleased to see that no one was in the room. It didn't seem like Lucas had gotten into his room yet. Carefully, Farkle dragged open the window, pulling it up so that he could slip into it. He would hide for the time being and regroup, figure out where to go from there, and then decide what he should photograph Lucas doing to finish up his project.

Farkle landed cautiously on Lucas' floor, the hardwood only creaking the slightest bit. He walked briskly to his closet and popped in, only partially closing the door so there was some light and he could see. He leaned back against the wall, and that's when he felt the warm body behind him.

"Farkle?" Riley asked, popping her head out from behind the bunch of shirts she'd buried herself behind.

Farkle straightened up in confusion, turning around with a slight start and staring at Riley.

"Riley? What are you doing here?"

"For some reason, Maya climbed into this room's window and disappeared somewhere instead of going home." Riley said nervously as she emerged from her hiding place in the clothing, looking like she absolutely didn't understand what was going on, "I didn't want to start snooping somewhere I didn't know. So I hid in here so I wouldn't accidentally get caught. Why are you here?"

"Lucas went home." Farkle said with a frown, "So I followed him."

"Huh?"

"This is Lucas' apartment. We're in his closet."

"What?!" Riley exclaimed in surprise, "Wait, that explains why this place has such a familiar scent."

"Yeah, this is his room. He came home so I was going to spy on him here."

"And I was going to spy on Maya. But… what is she doing coming in Lucas' apartment this late at night? She told me she was helping her mom with dinner."

Farkle shrugged. "Maybe she dropped by to give him something?"

"She's been doing weird stuff all day too though."

"Weird like what?"

"Weird like…" Riley said slowly, slight disgust on her expression, "Maya went to some sex shop today and bought some handcuffs that I think are for her mom."

"Same with Lucas about weird stuff. He bought a box of condoms while I was watching him. And earlier he bought whipped cream…"

"Maya also bought some lingerie… from an underwear store earlier…"

They stared at each other, their minds slowly whirring to life as they both started to reach a conclusion that neither of them wanted to admit out loud. But before either of them could say anything, the sound of heeled footsteps approached the room from a distance.

"Shh… someone's coming." Farkle hissed.

They both quieted, holding their breath as Lucas' room door creaked open. Heels clicked across the floor, walking a little ways inside the room before they stopped.

Riley and Farkle glanced at each other. Those were Maya's feet no doubt.

Their suspicions were confirmed and another set of heavier footsteps walked into the room before freezing entirely. The door closed ominously and Riley swallowed thickly, suddenly feeling more anxious than before.

"Maya…" Lucas said, "What are you doing here?"

"You mean what am I doing here wearing lingerie and hooker heels with handcuffs when we weren't supposed to fuck until later tonight?"

There was no response, and Farkle and Riley stared at each other in shock in the darkness of Lucas' closet from Maya's declaration.

Surely they weren't about to…? Not Lucas and Maya…

They both claimed they couldn't stand each other. It just didn't make any sense. Their best friends couldn't be screwing each other behind all of their backs. Lucas and Maya couldn't be hooking up. But Maya had said those words. How could Farkle or Riley deny it?

"Look, Huckleberry. I thought about last week, and I realized that you're right. I do want to be tied up by you. I want you to do filthy things to me while I'm in handcuffs. I only denied it because I was embarrassed by how much I loved it when you pulled my hair." Maya sighed in exasperation when it became clear he wasn't going to answer soon. "So you win. Lucas Friar. Can you please tie me up and do dirty things to me?"

There was silence for a bit and Riley and Farkle waited with baited breath, feeling absolutely awkward about this turn of events. What the hell was going on behind that door?

They heard Lucas' footsteps move across the hardwood floor.

"You missed a couple things." Lucas finally said, sounding like he was smirking.

His voice was closer to the closet door than before, near where Maya's voice was projecting, and Farkle and Riley knew he had approached Maya.

"Fine." Maya growled. "And you turn me on, okay? Thoughts of you get me wet. And I love it when you pull my hair and when you get all rough with me. And yes. You are a master of sex, and…"

Maya clammed up.

"And?" Lucas asked in a low, seductive tone that had even Farkle raising his eyebrows, disturbed.

"…and I love the way you command my body… with yours… Urgh, I'm gonna hurl." Maya grit out in annoyance. "There. Happy now, you damn perverted Huckle—"

And then Maya's words were cut off as she gasped before letting out a breathless whimper.

"Was that so hard to admit?" Lucas muttered.

Maya sighed softly, sounding a little out of breath as Riley's brows furrowed, unsure what was going on.

Then Riley's eyes widened as they could hear the sound of rustling clothes. Rustling clothes that shortly after hit the ground softly.

"Farkle." Riley whisper hissed quietly in a slight panic, her heart thundering in her chest, "You don't really think they're about to—"

Her alarmed question was interrupted when they heard the bed springs creak and a soft sigh followed by a low, wanton moan from Maya's mouth. Riley shook her head slowly, staring at Farkle in pure distress.

"Farkle! Do something!" Riley hissed in his ear again, feeling absolutely scared.

"I… I don't know what to do!" he hissed back, feeling unbelievably awkward about the whole thing.

The click of the handcuffs was heard and the metaled rattled against a surface. There was a slight moan from Maya again, her breathing laboured and coming out in short pants.

"How's that?" Lucas growled, his voice slightly muffled from whatever it was he was doing.

" _Fuck_ …" Maya breathed out, sounding like she was in absolute bliss. "Stop teasing…"

There was silence for a while, save for the sound of some wet kissing and Maya's ragged gasps that punctuated the air every once in a while that made Riley grimace and squeeze her eyes shut despite the fact that she couldn't even see it. And then she snapped her eyes open because staring at the clothes in the semi darkened sure as heck beat closing her eyes and then seeing vivid _imagery_ from the sound.

"Farkle… why didn't we close the closet door?!" she whisper hissed again, cringing when Maya mewled in pleasure and it was loud and smacked them in the face.

"I don't know!"

The little crack they'd left allowed them to hear everything pretty vividly and Riley wanted to cry. If they even thought about closing it now, they would get caught and then Lucas and Maya would never let them live it down. Things would be unbelievably more awkward.

"Lucas…" Maya murmured, her voice sounding desperate, "Stop playing around."

There was a dark chuckle that rang through the air and the hairs on the back of Riley's neck rose at attention as her jaw slackened, utterly appalled by the circumstances.

"Yeah?" Lucas chuckled, sounding entirely too amused. "Is that what you want?"

The metal clinked sharply and then Maya cried out, before a soft moan escaped her lips.

"I hate you." Maya said lowly, though her voice was dripping with lust and her tone entirely erotic.

Riley had never heard Maya ever sound like that in her life. It was absolutely shocking. She had always known Maya wasn't a prude, but where the heck had she learned to sound like _that_? It made Riley wonder how long they'd been convening in trysts like this now.

"Is that so?" Lucas growled, right before Maya cried out again in pleasure. "Still hate me now?"

"Shut up, you—"

A breathy whimper cascaded into the air, the rest of her words muffled and stolen from her mouth before she could finish her statement. She moaned deeply, the metal of the handcuffs scraping against the bed once again.

" _Oh_ …" Her breath hitched. "Lucas…"

"You like that, baby?"

Riley wanted to bury herself under her covers back home and try to expunge all this obscene pollution from her mind. It was like a horror film. She hated them, couldn't bear to watch them, yet she couldn't take her eyes off of the screen. She hated this, couldn't bear to listen to the sounds of her friends getting it on, yet she couldn't stop listening. And judging by Farkle's wide eyed shock, she knew he felt the same way as well.

"Mmmm… yeah…" Maya nearly purred.

"Do you mind if I use this?" Lucas asked, "I thought we could try something new."

"…You are such a perv… You better clean it up."

There was the sound of something being shaken and then squirted out of a can.

Riley and Farkle looked at each other in shocked realization.

The whipped cream.

"Shit! That's col— _ah_!" And then Maya let out a short, high pitched whimper. "Oh my God… _Lucas_! Fuck… _Yes_! Don't stop!"

Farkle slapped a hand on Riley's mouth quickly, anticipating her terrified, freak out squeal before she could release it. Her eyes were wide and perturbed, and she was wringing her hands together frantically, looking like she was going to cry. Farkle understood that sentiment; he kind of felt like he wanted to cry too. There was nothing they could do about the situation, and they were trapped in the closet. Even if they tried to cover their ears, Lucas and Maya weren't being particularly quiet and the closet door was right near the bed.

Maya kept moaning louder, the handcuffs scraping against surfaces, and Riley's face burned bright red from the _kissing_ sounds and _sucking_ noises. The wet sounds. The slurping. It was _horrifying_. She looked at Farkle in fright, shaking her head, her face contorting into one of despair and grief from being forced to listen to this abomination, and he gave her an apologetic look. It truly was horrifying.

And then Maya let out a high pitched, choked cry, and Riley forced herself not to think about what that meant. She forced herself to imagine it was not what it meant.

She had no such luck.

"Maya… you got the wall with that one." Lucas snorted, sounding smug.

Riley once again wanted to crawl under her covers and cry. This was terrible. She hoped so badly this would be the end of it. That they would call it an evening and stop and leave so that she and Farkle could get out.

"Oh come off it you dumbass." Maya panted, gasping for breath, "Just fuck me already."

"With pleasure…"

There was the sound of Lucas' bedside dresser opening and closing. Then the crinkling of a wrapper before plastic was stretched and snapped around something. Then movement on the bed as the springs moved again.

Riley's face settled into a defeated, distraught expression and she wondered if this was her just desserts for sneaking into a sex shop when she was a year shy of eighteen. Now she was suffering the consequences of her actions. Despair settled over her, knowing there was nothing she could do about what was about to happen.

It started with Maya's soft, breathy gasp and Lucas' grunt of exertion.

And then ragged and heavy breathing filled the air.

A little part of Riley and Farkle slowly died each time Maya moaned and cried out every once in a while. As Lucas started groaning. As they got louder. As the sounds grew more urgent. More frequent. More frantic. As the springs of the bed creaked violently. As the frame of the bed smacked against the wall repeatedly.

"L-Lucas!" Maya near shrieked.

" _Fuck_ …" Lucas growled through grit teeth. "You're so tight…"

Riley's mind snapped.

It was broken.

It was ruined.

She silently cried, lifting her hands and finally trying to block her ears. But the damage had already been done.

She could still _hear_ it.

Her innocent mind was gone all because she'd thought it was a good idea to snoop. She'd never even walked in on her parents; why was she subjected to listening to this?!

"Harder Lucas!"

The banging of the bed on the wall intensified.

Farkle knew his face was burning red with a pronounced blush, and he looked terrified and disgusted and intrigued all at once. This was like a frickin' porno, only without the visual aspect.

"You know… I just realized…" he whispered to Riley, wincing when Maya let out another really high pitched, desperate whimper, "If we take a picture of them right now, that would define life wouldn't it? In more ways than one…"

"Don't you dare open that door wider, Farkle Minkus." Riley hissed, shooting him a glare so dangerous, he immediately clammed up. "Or so help me, I will never speak to you again."

And then they both stiffened when Maya's heavy, strangled moan pierced the air.

"Maya…" Lucas grunted out. "I don't think I can hold out any longer…"

It was pretty bad that they were stuck in a closet subjected to listening to their friends have sex, but Farkle knew the worst part was how _vivid_ the entire thing was. How despite his desperate attempts not to, he could almost easily imagine the scene that was playing out on the other side of the door. And he couldn't get it out of his head.

Maya's high pitched whimpers and gasps got louder, and Lucas' breathing was heavier and he sounded strained and they both sounded a little frantic and desperate and the steady rhythms of the noise form the bed began to get jerky and to lose their rhythm.

Riley blocked her ears tighter with her hands and squeezed her eyes shut, rocking back and forth and hoping that she could block out what she knew was coming. She knew exactly what this sudden change and inconsistency in rhythm meant.

But for all her measures to protect her ears, it didn't make a difference, because they were _loud_.

The bed banging on the wall and the springs creaking all stopped rather abruptly, but instead was replaced by Maya screaming so intensely that Riley almost jumped out of her skin. And then they heard Lucas groan raggedly, long and low. There was silence after that, punctuated by Maya's uneven gasps for breath and Lucas' shallow panting as the moment wound down.

Riley slowly removed her shaking hands from her ears, feeling like she'd just lost something. Her mind was truly broken. She couldn't think. She couldn't even speak. The only thing she could do was stare blankly at the closet door.

Farkle wasn't faring much better, his jaw still unhinged in absolute shock. His brain was fried. He couldn't process anything. He couldn't even move. The only thing he could do was stare blankly at the closet door.

"Fuck…" Maya rasped out, chuckling slightly, "That's the last time I go without you for a week…"

There was an unclicking and then metal hitting a surface before the bed sheets rustled.

"Yeah… How did we even manage that?"

"But no to the whipped cream ever again. It was honestly a little gross. And I feel sticky and nasty down there."

"I can take care of that for you." Lucas muttered in a low tone of voice. "Shower?"

Maya sighed softly as the sound of lips languidly leaving wet kisses on skin drifted through the air. Riley and Farkle didn't even react.

"Mmmm sex in the shower? Yes please."

"Deal."

The bedsprings creaked again as someone climbed off the bed and then Maya laughed out loud.

"Put me down, Ranger Rick!"

"The sooner we get there, the better."

Rapid footsteps walked across the floor and out the door, and then the bedroom door closed with a resounding click, Maya's laughter slowly growing more quiet as it drifted away until they couldn't hear it at all.

Slowly, Riley and Farkle glanced at each other and then nodded before painstakingly slowly rising to their feet. He cautiously pushed open the door and peeked around before walking out towards the window. Riley followed suit. They had no words. No expressions. Just walked right out of the closet and made their way to leave.

Riley was _certain_ her ears were bleeding.

Thirty-three minutes of that…

Thirty-three minutes of her ear virginity being lost.

As she walked by, Riley spared a glance at the bed. Its rumpled sheets and indentation indicative of bodies having been on top of it. The handcuffs hanging loosely, the chain still wrapped around the frame. The male clothes and lingerie lying haphazardly on the ground. The discarded can of whipped cream on the bed. The empty condom wrapper on the floor. The stain on the top of the bed covers.

The stain of some fluid on the wall across from Lucas' bed.

Riley snapped her head away with wide eyes and rushed to the window, appalled by her curiosity despite the torture she'd just had to listen to. She followed Farkle and climbed out of the window onto the fire escape and then headed down with him silently.

They'd just been subjected to listening to their friends having sex.

They were _scarred_ for life.

And they knew without a doubt that they would never be able to look at either of their friends the same way again.

"We should probably find new subjects to photograph…"

"Agreed."

* * *

Maya leaned her ear against Lucas' room door, a slow grin growing on her face.

"Think they're gone?" Lucas asked beside her, his ear also pressed up against the doorway.

"Definitely." Maya laughed. "I don't think they would stay after the show they were just given."

"I have to say Maya… we've outdone ourselves."

"I know right? Best prank ever." She snickered. "That'll teach them to spy on us."

"Although…" Lucas said, a suggestive smile on his face, "Would you ever let me tie you up?"

Maya glared up at him, her eyes narrowed in annoyance. From his expression, she just knew exactly what image was running through his mind.

"In your wet dreams, Ranger Rick. We're never going to have sex."

"Never's a long time, Shortstack. We've been fighting this thing for years. I think we should release the tension, don't you?" He leaned in closer to her, his lips pressed against her ear. "I could make you scream for real, Maya…"

She inhaled sharply but rolled her eyes, pushing him away from her. "This is a tentative truce. I still can't stand you, Ranger Rick."

"Then call me when you change your mind. I'll be waiting."

"Get ready to wait forever." Maya singsonged derisively.

"Forever is also a long time, and time has a way of changing things."

She fixed Lucas with a glare.

"Fine then. I'll sleep with you when you stop being such a Huckleberry dork. But that's not going to happen so good luck with that."

His lips pulled up into a smirk.

"Challenge accepted, Shortstack."


	67. Hell No Not In My Home

**A/N: Okay, let me get this oneshot out of my system before I delve into prepping for my first final on Saturday otherwise I'll keep getting distracted! Lol expect updates of other stories at some point too probably... whenever I study, I get distracted by Lucaya. It's inevitable. SOMEONE MOTIVATE ME TO STAY MOTIVATED TO STUDY LOL.  
**

 **Also, I was chatting with a couple friends about the writers' apparent tweet about it not being a triangle. And I wanted to input my two crazy cents if you guys were interested in my thoughts. The writers are right though. It's _not_ a triangle lol. **

**THIS is what it actually is: Smarkle/Riarkle/Riarlie/Rucas/Rilaya/Lucaya/Joshaya. You've got the Riley and Smackle most likely going to be in conflict over Farkle in the future. Then there was that small moment where Charlie was like "so what? she ends up with Farkle?" or st, which I believe will also be a point of contention (Charlie and Farkle) in the future once Riley gets over Lucas (though for some reason, I'm starting to get some odd sibling vibes from Riarkle...). There's Charlie's slight "inferiority" complex towards Lucas because of Riley's lingering feelings for Lucas. There is Riley's lingering feelings for Lucas, but her loyalty to and desire to make Maya happy. There's Maya's ****loyalty to and desire to make Riley happy, but also her** **feelings for Lucas. And finally there is Lucas' obvious slight "inferiority" complex towards Josh and Maya's feelings for both.**

 **And they're all connected. You don't get one resolved without something else being affected negatively and/or something else positively. Therefore, this isn't going to be an easy fix this season. I have a feeling to resolve this entire relationship jumble, another season will be needed and even then, it won't be so clean cut to fix everything. That's probably why this Rucaya stuff has continued on so long. Because Rucaya isn't the only thing in this. And Rucaya isn't the only thing affected. I think it's pretty cool how the writers weaved this crazy relationship conflict and how it's grown and has been brewing right under our noses the entire time.  
**

 **On queue:** **Luvemhorses1 request for Lucas the Ticking Time Bomb!** **  
**

 **Enjoy! Thank you everyone for your sweet words and for always supporting me with my writing! I have nothing to say but thank you to all of you because you are all such beautiful, amazing, wonderful individuals and I love you all! My stress has been mostly manageable thanks to you all and I wish you all the best with the end of this term and this year, whether you have finals or not or whatever is going right now. Good luck and I love you all! :)  
**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own GMW.**

* * *

 **Title: Hell No. Not In My Home.  
Pairings&Characters: Cory, Lucaya**  
 **Genre: Humor, Romance, Angst,** **AU  
Rating: T for THAT'S A TRUCE?!  
Summary: This is a joke, right? Because if it's not... Lucas Friar is fucking dead.  
**

 **Same universe as Here We Go Again.** **(Order: Missy, Riley, Farkle, Topanga, Auggie, Shawn, Lucas, Zay, Cory)**

 **Request by notasbigajerkasIcould'vebeen, Guest, crookedcheshire/juiceboxxes, LucayaLover, Guest, Guest, barbarazw, rangerclutterbucket, Annie, Guest, et al for Cory's POV of a Lucaya fight. LOL I don't remember who else requested it, but it kept popping up in the list so I was like let's just do this one already lol. I hope it's decent enough for you lovely people. Thank you for the requests! :D  
**

 **Inspired by Marie Claire who was in absolute disbelief over the fact that I ate her last French fries. Maybe next time she should eat them faster... Just saying...  
**

* * *

"It's my birthday! You can't lay off for at least one day?!"

"Why the fuck would I?! You spent the entire afternoon on the phone with him!"

"Stop exaggerating! He wished me happy birthday, so I responded back!"

"For three hours?!"

Cory sighed, shaking his head in disappointment as he checked and observed Riley's fire escape for any instability. Topanga had forced him to let Maya throw her 19th birthday bash in their apartment and his pseudo daughter had invited the whole senior class for the party that would take place that evening. He and Topanga would be staying in a hotel that evening after dropping Auggie off at Dewey's, and he expected there to be a fire of some sort.

(It was a bunch of unruly, unsupervised, rowdy teenagers. Cory _knew_ something was bound to go wrong).

So he was checking each fire escape to make sure they were stable enough because he expected a herd of teens to try to climb down at some point. He'd been at it all afternoon, braving the wind and the cold temperature, but he'd finally reached the last one outside of Riley's window.

"After everything we've been through and done, you're _still_ having this issue?! What the fuck is wrong with you!"

"Jealousy doesn't just disappear overnight, you know?! You should be able to tell!"

"News flash: I can't read your mind, asshole! How about you try to communicate instead of acting like a little bitch?!"

Unfortunately for Cory, halfway through his work, Lucas and Maya had stormed into Riley's room, arguing about something of which he had no idea. But they were _loud_ and he could hear them clearly even from his position outside of the window. And they'd only gotten worse, the fight escalating to the point that Cory was sure his neighbours two floors down could probably hear them too.

He didn't know what their deal was. Lucas had come over in the morning when Cory had begun his fire escape inspections and the two had been head over heels for each other, being fluffy and cute much to his chagrin and Riley's ecstatic (and very ear piercing) squeals and giggles. Lucas had bought Maya some expensive paints she desperately wanted as a gift, and she'd been clinging to him that morning, pretty much kissing him at every turn of the second, alsomuch to Cory's chagrin.

It was pretty surprising to see this sudden shift in their behaviour though, but from what Cory had heard from Riley's snippets of random rambling about her OTP, this wasn't too far off from how they usually were. It made him wonder how on earth their relationship worked because it sounded pretty bad to him. It was just so hard to believe that there existed a couple so sweet and loving to each other one second and then Armageddon the next.

"Why are you even bringing this up when it always makes us fight?!"

"Because you refuse to address it!"

"Maybe because there's nothing to address since it doesn't even exist, did you ever think about that?!"

"You know what? I'm sick of this! I'm not going to waste my time on you if you can't make up your fucking mind on who you'd rather be with!"

Maya's expression immediately darkened and her jaw dropped in shock and even Cory paused at that rather abrupt end to the fight. Cory winced as he peeked over his shoulder into the window, bracing himself for some kind of punch to Lucas' face, but Maya just shook her head in disgust, her expression a mixture of fury and hurt. Without a word, she spun on her heels and began to storm out of Riley's room. But Lucas turned and caught her wrist, stopping her before she could leave. She spun back around indignantly, her eyes shining with anger.

"You're a jerk. And a terrible boyfriend."

"Yeah, well you're not exactly a perfect girlfriend yourself."

"You ruined my birthday, asshat."

"…I know."

They fell silent, staring at each other, the air so thick with tension even Cory could feel it even outside. Maya's eyes were narrowed as she glared up at Lucas. Lucas for the most part had no expression on his face as he held onto her wrist. His jaw was clenched in irritation, but there was a slight apologetic gleam in his eyes that Cory couldn't really decipher.

He sighed, turning back around and leaving them to whatever was going on with them. He just did not understand this generation of teenagers. He'd been teaching for years and years and one would think he would at least develop some sort of understanding to what the hell was going in their minds but he was just so lost.

It was official. He was old.

Just as he finally finished his inspection, a sharp gust of wind blew once again, and Cory shielded his face from the stinging, biting cold. But he heard the window slam shut behind him, shortly followed by a soft click. His brows rose, knowing that didn't sound good. In fact, it sounded like he'd just gotten locked out. The wind had probably knocked the window shut.

Cory turned around with a tired groan, stooping in front of the window and trying to figure out if there was a way to open it from the outside because he knew there was no handle or ridge. Years ago, he'd removed it because he wanted to keep Riley safe (and so that if she ever tried to sneak out, she wouldn't be able to get back in and would have to use the front door and he'd catch her), but now he could clearly see that decision had bitten him in the ass.

As he tried to see if there was a way he could wedge his fingers underneath the ledge and get the window opened, he saw movement in his peripheral and glanced up. As his eyes focused on the image before him, they widened, his blood running cold at the sight as he slowly stood up in absolute disbelief.

Maya was on top of Lucas.

In a compromising position.

On Riley's bed.

Maya was straddling Lucas' crotch, her hands nearly tearing off the buttons of his shirt. Lucas had a hand gripping her ass, the other one tangled in her hair.

And they were kissing pretty heavily, heatedly, as if all they desperately needed was to feel each other. The works. Grinding against each other, tongues intertwined, hands caressing whatever skin they could touch.

It was appalling.

And Cory recognized it very well.

It was the exact kind of thing and reason why he forbade Riley having a boyfriend because he refused to allow her to be in a position like this with any guy. It was the kind of thing that was bound to lead to one thing—and one thing only—unless he stopped this mess.

And then Lucas slid his hands up Maya's sides, taking her shirt with them, pulling it up over her head before tossing it to the side.

And Cory saw red.

He was _livid_.

No way in hell.

There was no way in hell this abomination was occurring right in front of his very eyes. And on Riley's bed no less!

Cory's fists clenched and he growled under his breath, spinning around and racing down the fire escape to go back into his apartment.

He made a mental note to remind himself to buy Riley a new bed.

But above that, that hooligan punk was a goner.

Lucas Friar would rue the day he decided to get jiggy with Maya Hart.


	68. Spontaneous Combustion (Lucas)

**A/N: Hi Guest! I actually have written a Missy/Billy short before :) It's called 'I Spy'. LOL also, they pretty much appear in every single story I write with Missy because they are my absolute favourite crack ship beyond understanding. But I'm still working out the plans for another story I will probably start writing next year. And thank you very much, love. You're sweet :3  
**

 **I'm fed up with studying. Fuck it. So here you are! x3 (Sorry about the quality of this one. I'll go back sometime later and fix it up). Also, I'm not updating anything else until I respond to EVERYTHING. PMs, reviews, EVERYTHING. Time to get crackalackin'!  
**

 **Also, I would like to reiterate that I see all requests and add them to my list, loves. There are a lot, so I don't get to them in a timely fashion, but I _will_ get to them, I promise. Don't worry about requesting more than once. You don't have to because I have seen it, and I guarantee it's on the list. I know it takes a bit to get to them because of my schedule, but they'll be written eventually. Right now, I'm still on requests from September just to give you an idea of how far behind I am lol. But I'll get through them. Thank you :)**

 **On queue:** **Boredom IV** **  
**

 **Enjoy! Every kind word you guys give me, everything you all say matters to me. Always. And I am touched and honoured that despite how busy you all are and how many more important things you guys have in your lives, you still drop me a message. I don't deserve such kindness and you all are honestly the best. Thank you. This first term at school for me was a bitch for so many reasons. Stomach bug, a nasty cold, a healing ankle, pneumonia, a couple failed exams LOL (par for the course), a nasty prof who had no qualms making assignments living hell, and just general stress. School is always a straight up bitch. But thanks to you all, it's manageable, and I've gotten through this term! :3  
**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own GMW.**

* * *

 **Title: Spontaneous Combustion (Lucas)  
Pairings&Characters: Lucas, Maya**  
 **Genre: I still don't even know tbh... Suspense lol?, sort of canon content, AU** **  
Rating: T for Ticking Time Bomb Boy  
Summary: Tick tick tick tick tick...  
**

 **Lucas' perspective of latter events in Spontaneous Combustion (22).**

 **Request by Luvemhorses1, Paufdez13, Guest for continuation of Ticking Time Bomb. I can't really write a continuation, but I can write Lucas' perspective of the same event. Lol this is just as vague ahahaha, but I'm half asleep lol. I really don't know what the hell this is... this was harder to write than I thought. Sorry. Thanks for the requests! :3  
**

* * *

Tick.

Years ago, Lucas' temper used to be a fairly big problem. It was dangerous, explosive and his relentless brutality was disproportionate considering most of the time, he picked fights for no reason other than some ass looking at him the wrong way. He was brash; he was violent. He was _out of control,_ letting himself blow up however and whenever without regard or thought to the consequences of his behaviour.

At least until he was kicked out of school and forced to move to New York.

As the years went on, he realized he no longer seemed to have that issue with _anger_. That was in check. Even when his friends were bullied. Even when Maya kept getting harassed by horny older guys in their high school. He had his anger in check. And in that way, he believed he had developed some kind of zen, an endless patience to everything around him.

He'd come to New York to have a new start. And he had succeeded in changing his approach to life. He refused to disappoint the friends he had made and the people he cared about. He had been a walking bomb in Texas, but he liked to think he'd been changed by the people he met, and knowing that they were proud of him for successfully turning things around was what kept him from losing his control and allowed him to keep his fuse from shortening.

But the endless patience stopped with Maya Hart. A _tease_ in every sense of the word.

Tick.

Don't get him wrong. Lucas didn't particularly get annoyed with Maya. Most of her antics were all in good jest; he could tell from the playful gleam in her eyes that she just wanted to mess with him a little bit.

And he welcomed it, even encouraged it by making sarcastic quips and responding to her in ways that would goad her into continuing their banter. She threatened to break him; he accepted the threat with a smirk. He knew Maya just wanted to see him snap. Just wanted to see him blow up, but Lucas refused to relinquish the hold he had on what he called his Maya fuse. He refused to because he didn't know what it would manifest as if he let go.

Lucas had thought he knew her game. That he was playing the game on her level. He thought he could handle what she was trying to do, and for a few years in high school, he thought she had given up. He thought the Maya fuse was safe.

He loosened his grip.

Tick.

Somewhere along the way, as high school wound down, their game changed. What had started out as playful jabs and mockery turned into flirtatious teasing and attempts to derail and allure one another.

It was normal for them; a natural progression to their relationship. A friendship punctuated with attraction and desire. A friendship that was slowly but surely turning into something more.

But he'd missed the part where Maya started up her efforts again, more intense than before. And nothing prepared his fuse for her attempts.

Tick.

For when she started wearing shorter skirts. When she started touching him, pressing herself against him and giving him these suggestive looks. When she would sit on his lap and move around at every turn of the second, forcing him to think about disgusting things to distract his body from the blood slowly but surely raging south. When she talked about other guys to his face. When she would lean in close, assaulting his nose with her arousing scent.

When she would suck on lollipops in front of him, swirling her tongue around the top and giving him racy looks through her eyelashes.

Tick.

He knew she knew she was playing a dangerous game trying to make him explode, and the worst part was it was definitely working, no matter how much he tried not to let it. He tried to stop the fuse, but Maya was relentless. And even he had his limits. He wasn't impervious to what she was doing to him.

Tick.

She lit a fire in him. A raging fire that burned hot in his body before he could even think to tamp it down.

He'd long since been having fantasies of her under him. On top of him. Bent over in front of him.

Tick.

And Maya knew it too, judging by the way she would purposely do everything she could to be in compromising positions near him.

But she went too far.

Tick.

The flame ignited.

Tick.

He let the fuse go.

Tick.

Her quivering legs.

Tick.

Her racing pulse against his lips.

Tick.

Spontaneous combustion.

 _Boom._


	69. Boredom IV

**A/N: Sorry this took so long. Formatting Boredom chapters is a bitch lol and for some reason, this got really long. Anyway, I couldn't resist putting Boredom IV as _this_ chapter lol ;D And hi Undertheradar! You're not a creeper/stalker at all. lol that's a secret though ;3 But if you want a hint, Europe. And yeah ahahaha. I think the majority of my updates are super early before school or late after work. Occasionally, they'll be during a lecture if I'm going out that evening.**

 **On queue:** **DreamsForSale request for Lucaya proposal! (I'm about to put several, _several_ requests into this one shot. Get ready)** **  
**

 **Enjoy! You guys are honestly the best. Aww thank you all for your kind words! I honestly appreciate it so much and it means the world to me that you guys have taken time to read these stories! I can't thank you enough for the sweet things you all say! I'm gushing! Thank you so so much! I love you all! :3  
**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own GMW.**

* * *

 **Title: Boredom IV  
Pairings&Characters: Maya, Lucas**  
 **Genre: Friendship, Humor (eh... wasn't really feeling it with this one), Angst (just a bit), AU** **  
Rating: Nearing Borderline M/Very High T for Talking Like Pervs Again (it's just the content material. no actual sex happening lol)  
Summary: Lucas and Maya pass notes in class once more.  
**

 **Warning: nsfw content in here, so exercise caution when looking this stuff up lol. Also, this one is dirtier and vulgar because well, they're aging so naturally, they get dirtier.  
**

 **Added a request by Guest for a Boredom chapter with Lucas and Maya playing truth or dare. Not quite the same, but your request was close enough to the original plans of this chapter that it worked out! Thank you for the request, love! :D**

 **Bold is Lucas.** _Italicized is Maya._

* * *

 _huckleberry_

...

...

...

 _i know you're not talking to me, but i'm glad you're back from that baseball tourney_

...

...

...

 _i missed you :(_

...

...

...

 _please talk to me_

...

...

...

 _I'm going to cry_

...

...

...

 _i'm not happy. i thought you wanted me to be happy_

 ***sigh* Maya what do you want?**

 _i didn't mean to borrow your truck and crash it and get you grounded for a week_

 **Don't forget the part where I have to pay for repairs now.  
**

 _well i got in trouble too. i'm forbidden to drive until sophomore year starts_

 **Not my problem. Don't even try to turn this around. And leave me alone. I've actually had it with you.**

 _lucas. i'm really sorry_

 **I got fucked over by you. Why does this sound so familiar?**

 _well i don't know what else to say! i've apologized more than once!  
_

...

...

...

 _i'll pay for your repairs with my job funds_

...

...

...

 _please don't ignore me. i feel like i broke our friendship. and i don't want that_

 **It's not broken. I just need space from you.**

 _space? what are we, in a relationship?_

...

...

...

 _Lucas._

...

...

...

 _how many times do i have to apologize before you forgive me? now you're just being petty_

 **I have plenty of things to be mad at you for.**

 _but why are you holding such a grudge?_

 **Because I'm MAD at you. Actually mad.**

 _:'(_

 **Dammit stop. You can't guilt away my anger.  
**

...

...

...

 **Are you sniffling?**

...

...

...

 **Maya.**

...

...

...

 **Maya c'mon. Are you actually crying?**

...

...

...

 **Fuck. I'm sorry Maya.**

...

...

...

 **I forgive you. Okay? I'm not mad anymore. Accidents happen. Please don't cry.**

...

...

...

 **Wait, are you laughing? Unbelievable**

 _reason number 232 why i am better at playing this game than you. got you to admit you're not mad_

 **You're still paying for repairs.**

 _yeah, yeah_

 **You're a real piece of work, you know that?  
**

 _which is why you're so attracted to me_

 **How did you even jump to that conclusion from what I said.**

 _;)_

...

...

...

 _by the way, meant to ask you, but what the hell happened to your arm?_

 **Baseball tourney injury. Broken collarbone.  
**

 _ouch. is that why you missed first period?_

 **No, today I just woke up late. This was yesterday. Now stop sending me notes.**

 _why? i thought you forgave me_

 **I did. But I also made a vow to never pass notes with you again.**

 _so what's that you're doing now?_

 **Stop sending me notes. We got in serious trouble because of that note in French class. Thanks  
to you, we now have Friday detention for the rest of the semester. This whole thing is not worth it.**

 _lost your nerve? where's all that fearlessness, huckleberry? and just when i got you to want to play my games_

 **My mother locked me in the shed! I have NO fearlessness left!**

 _bwahahahahahahahahaha! i'm dying!_

 **It's not funny. You seem to have a penchant for getting me into specific types of trouble!  
This kind of shit never used to happen to me until I met you!**

 _so you could say i made your life more interesting_

 **You definitely made it a hell of a lot harder.**

 _that's too bad for you. my mom wasn't mad at me at all_

 **You're lucky.**

 _she just wanted to know my sexual fantasies and who i would choose as my first choice for hooking up with someone_

 **Who's your first choice?**

 _as if i would tell you that_

 **Then that means it was either Josh or me. Though my money is on me. You're usually pretty  
open about what you want to do with Josh.**

 _go suck a dick_

 **Maya. Tsk tsk tsk. That's crude. Got dicks on the brain?**

 _NO_.

 **Particularly mine? ;P  
**

 _how the hell did this conversation turn around so fast?_

 **What can I say? You woke up the beast.**

 _beast? ha! more like a little lamb_

 **So you find me adorable too, huh? Your crush is kind of obvious Maya. You should try to cover it up more. I mean, geez.**

 _i do not have a crush on you! i'm going to kick your ass if you don't cut that out!_

 **Maya denial isn't just a river in Egypt.**

 _stop telling people i have a crush on you! that rumour spread around the school like wild fire and_  
 _it's not true! i'm sick of people giving me stupid suggestive looks and shit! i don't like you like that!_

 **I didn't spread that rumour**

 _yes you did! you're the only one i know who keeps suggesting it  
_

 **No, seriously I didn't. I mean, I know you're in denial over your crush, but I wouldn't do that.**

 _then who spread the rumour?_

 **Ever consider it was a certain brunette with a penchant for meddling in people's love lives?**

 _not this crap again! you know, she's been fighting to get us together all semester. it's seriously annoying!_

 **Why? I'm a catch.**

 _no offense, but you're also a dork. a huckleberry dork to be more precise_

 **But you didn't deny I'm a catch.**

 _because you've got your looks going for you  
_

 **So you admit that you find me attractive.  
**

 _i admit to nothing except thinking that you have your looks going for you  
_

 **Denial is the worst form of the truth, you know.**

 _shut up, you annoying little shit fortune cookie_

 **Love you too, Maya.  
**

...

...

...

 _by the way nice job hiding  
_

 **What?**

 _so fun fact: one of your tires busted after the accident and when the guy came to help me, we took the  
spare from the back seat. and guess what i found hidden in the spare tire compartment underneath said tire  
_

 **Shit…**

 _a brown paper bag_

...

...

...

 _and in that brown paper bag was… a secret stash of dirty magazines_

...

...

...

 _I KNEW YOU HAD DIRTY MAGAZINES PORN BOY_

 **Look, those were Zay's. I was holding on to them for him.**

 _LIAR! i've been to zay's place. he doesn't hide his magazines! they're sitting right on his desk_

 **Just when I thought this day couldn't get any worse**

 _you have a real thing for short blondes, don't you?_

 **Fuck my life…**

 _i'm a blonde. and i'm short_

...

...

...

 _now the real question is whether you were already attracted to that type before you met me and became attracted  
to me because i fit your type or if you met me and then became attracted to that type. either way, i'm your type  
_

 **Okay what do you want?**

 _i want unlimited rides anywhere i want for the summer, you have to buy me food whenever i want, and  
i really like the idea of free movies. any objections and you're exposed. DUN DUN DUUUUUN_

 **Blackmailer**

 _you would do the same if you were in my shoes_

 **Be careful Maya. You're treading dangerous ground and trust me, if I ever get  
something on you, payback will be a bitch.**

 _huckleberry, huckleberry, huckleberry… don't you know, baby? you can never beat me in  
this game. i invented the game. you'll always lose_

 **We'll see about that.**

...

...

...

 _short blondes, really? you're making it almost too easy_

 **Look, I can't help my personal preference for magazines.  
**

 _i knew you were perving on me hard but this is just crazy. how often do you fantasize about me? be honest_

 **I don't fantasize about you. And I don't perv on you either**

 _right, right… you only stare at my ass every time i'm in front of you and pretty much drool_

 **I don't.**

 _you think i'm gorgeous. you want to kiss me. you want to hug me. you want to looooove me_

 **Miss Congeniality?**

 _yeah. pool scene. i'm watching it on my phone right now_

 **What if you get caught?**

 _another detention probably. that's nothing new at this point_

 **Well… that's not a lie. Lift your phone up a bit. I wanna watch.**

 _no way! if becky the bitch sees us, my phone gets taken away_

 **She's asleep.**

 _she's faking, waiting for the moment any of us slip up to catch us. trust  
me on this. i know this woman like the back of my hand_

 **So what? My arm is in a cast, my mom confiscated my phone, and I've got no source of entertainment in this fucking  
detention since we can't speak or move or do anything but sit there while Mrs. Langford "sleeps". Entertain me, dammit!**

 _you're pretty aggressive today_

 **Yeah, well. I didn't get much sleep last night.**

 _oh yeah, I bet_

 **The heck is that supposed to mean?**

 _i mean, your dominant arm is in a cast_

 **And?**

 _you couldn't do your nighttime ritual to help you get to sleep  
_

 **I really don't like the way this is going**

 _you know? buffing the banana? painting the pickle? shooting putty at the moon?_

 **Alright. I could let you get in my head and be annoyed, but I'm going with a different tactic this time.**

 _huh?_

 **This is the second time you've mentioned something related to dicks Maya. Particularly mine.**

 _…if i lift up my phone so you can watch with me, will you shut up?_

 **I think that suffices as payment.**

 _you are a dirty young man, you know that?  
_

...

...

...

 _detention blows_

 **I know.**

 _this is your fault_

 **I know.**

 _i'm mad at you now_

 **I know.**

 _you laughed out loud_

 **I know.**

 _you woke her up because you laughed out loud_

 **I know.**

 _she took my phone because you woke her up because you laughed out loud_

 **I know.**

 _good. glad we're on the same page. not talking to you the rest of detention_

 **I know.**

...

...

...

 _your handwriting sucks_

 **What happened to not talking to me?**

 _i was looking at your note and i realized just how crappy your handwriting is right now_

 **Give me a break. I can barely use my hand! It's a struggle**

 _it's ugly is what it is_

 **What's the purpose of this conversation again?**

 _nothing. i just wanted to tell you how ugly your handwriting is right now_

 **I know you're mad about your phone, but is that any reason to lash out?**

 _yes. you can take it_

 **True.**

...

...

...

 **Hey, isn't Shawn supposed to come back soon?**

 _yeah. i'm tempted to stay at riley's the rest of the month_

 **Why?**

 _he still doesn't have an apartment yet so he's going to stay with us_

 **And?**

 _let me paint a picture for you: katy hart. MILF. shawn hunter. BOYFRIEND. what do men and women  
do when that urge just hits them? that strong biological urge for fornication without procreation  
_

 **Yeah I get it.**

 _this is going to blow_

 **On the bright side, at least your mom is enjoying herself.**

 _have you ever actually walked in on people having sex? there is no bright side. well, except for the part where you're BLINDED  
_

 **No. And I'd rather keep it that way.**

 _hmm… interesting_

 **What?**

 _would have thought mr. 69% here would be interested in voyeurism_

 **Not this shit again.**

 _it's going to follow you for the rest of our high school career_

 **Just like your crush on me is going to follow you for the rest of our high school career.**

 _get bent_

 **Think I win yet again.**

 _for now  
_

...

...

...

 _LUCAS. HOLY SHIT. LUCAS!_

 **What?**

 _i just thought of a game! let's play truth or truth_

 **Truth or truth?**

 _it would have been truth or dare, but obviously we can't do anything, being confined in these desks and all_

 **What are the rules of truth and truth?**

 _ten questions each. we can ask each other any sexual related questions, and we have to answer them. we can't  
re-ask a question that the other person already asked. and you can't rephrase one part of the question and ask it again_

 **No way. What if it's too secret or personal?**

 _fine. we can have three passes. three passes over ten questions. fair?_

 **I guess so. But you can't be asking crazy questions though Maya. Seriously. I won't play with you if you do.**

 _why so scared ranger rick? got something to hide?_

 **No. I just don't want to answer questions about when I masturbate or something.**

 _…you know… you just admitted that you masturbate_

 **It was hypothetical scenario!**

 _so you don't masturbate? a sixteen year old pervy guy with sexual fantasies doesn't masturbate.  
_

 **Is this some kind of trick?**

 _it's a simple observation is all ;)_

 **I can already tell this game is going to be terrible for me.**

 _lol, okay you're first. we'll rally questions. remember. three passes only. be  
wise about your passes because you never know what might come later_

 **Okay. How flexible are you?**

 _…i'm going to answer it, but why? just why?_

 **Inquiring minds want to know.**

 _inquiring perverted minds of a sixteen year old dirty teen boy_

 **Just answer the question.**

 _i can put both feet behind my head at the same time. i can do a front and side split. my forehead can  
comfortably touch my legs when i touch my toes. that work as an answer, ya perv?  
_

 **Yeah. Your question?**

 _have you ever tried to see how far you could shoot your load when you came?_

 **Wow… I was not expecting that. That's a pretty disgusting question.**

 _you can always pass_

 **I mean, the answer is yes. Haven't we all at some point?**

 _lol you are so dirty_

 **I'm no dirtier than you are.**

 _sure you aren't, mr. 69%. you keep telling yourself that_

 **You think you would ever be into anal?**

 _no. it kind of freaks me out. i take a crap out of that hole, why would i want something shoved up in there?_

 **Ahahahaha that's true**

 _what's your strangest sex dream?_

 **A pair of legs in heels was chasing after me screaming that it wanted my babies.  
My ankles were handcuffed together and I could barely run.**

 _wtf that's terrifying!_

 **It really was.**

 _and i thought i had crazy dreams_

 **Okay then. Have you ever fantasized about me?**

 _of course. i've fantasized about you square dancing in times square in a full cowboy getup twirling a lasso over your head_

 **That's not what I meant.**

 _shoulda been more specific with your question then_

 **Well played**

 _i am the queen of deception after all_

 **I won't make that same mistake again.**

 _mmhmm. we'll see_

 **Your turn.**

 _how big is your love rod? your beef whistle. your pee pee stick_

 **Seriously? Did you really just ask that…**

 _yeah ;P inquiring minds want to know. what's your length, size, girth, whatever. i mean, it should  
be proportional to your body size right? you're tall. you've got pretty big hands and feet_

 **Pass.**

 _LOLOL fine. scaredy cat_

 **How often do you masturbate?**

 _pass_

 **Look who's the scaredy cat now.**

 _i have my reasons_

 **Yeah, sure. Because you probably masturbate more than me.**

 _highly doubt that porn boy. anyway, who do you think about most when you masturbate?_

 **Pass.**

 _you sure you want to use this one? you've used two pretty early in_

 **That's because your questions are too much!**

 _just saying, you're being pretty risky right now_

 **Whatever. Have you ever thought about me when you take care of yourself?**

 _no, i don't think about you when i eat healthy_

 **What? That's not what I asked.**

 _think about the question you just asked me though. "take care of yourself" is pretty  
vague. i interpreted it the way i wanted to because you didn't specify_

 **You and these fucking loopholes to questions**

 _i told you you couldn't beat me at this game. would you ever suck a dick for money?_

 **No. You didn't specify the amount, so I'm saying no.**

 _so if i had specified an amount you would have said yes?_

 **Wait, that's not what I meant.**

 _hahahaha you're really bad at this! you make it too easy_

...

...

...

 _you think i could creep to her desk and sneak my phone? she won't notice it's gone_

 **Don't risk it. She's outside the door answering a phone call. I can see her. You'll get caught.**

 _i'm not worried_

 **Maya I don't know**

...

...

...

 _barely safe_

 **Why do you take risks like that?**

 _i'm maya penelope hart bitch. risk is my middle name_

 **…right. Anyway. This is six. Have you ever thought about me while you masturbated?**

 _against the rules. can't change one word in a question you already asked_

 **Fine. Does any part of Lucas Friar, image or name or anything having to do with him or related to him  
ever cross your mind when your fingers are saucing the taco? Getting lost in the deep end. Pearl fishing.**

 _lol! you didn't have to get so vulgar_

 **I wanted to cover my bases. I know how you like to use those loopholes.**

 _that's pretty clever. but do you really still want to waste one of your questions on this instead of moving on?_

 **I want to know.**

 _if you must know, yes. briefly. very brief. like minuscule, nano, micro split second in passing_

 **Sure, sure. I understand perfectly. I bet you put an image of me on your ceiling and look at it every night.**

 _w/e helps you sleep at night. would you ever run throughout the streets without pants and flash your junk at literally everyone?_

 **That's… surprisingly tame. No.**

 _okay_

 **Have you ever orgasmed while I was on your mind?**

 _fuck that. pass_

 **That implies the answer is yes and you just don't want to say it.**

 _it doesn't imply anything. i passed because answering in either way is lose-lose. if i say no,  
you'll rephrase and push again for an answer. if i say yes, embarrassment._

 **Damn. Never thought about it that way.**

 _are you an ass or boob guy?_

 **I'm going to regret this one… ass**

 _just as i've been saying for the past year_

 **Yeah, yeah. What would be your ideal threesome?**

 _you billy and josh. or riley zay and farkle. or you billy and missy. or even charlie riley and brandon. i also  
like the idea of riley smackle and missy. although part of me wonders if riley would even know what was going on_

 **I should have asked what your ideal threesome would be including you.**

 _yupp. you're really bad at this thing_

 **Still. You've thought about this a lot clearly…**

 _like you haven't. i bet yours would be you me and darby since clearly you have a thing for  
blondes. yogi would kick your ass if he knew_

 **Just ask a question Maya.**

 _notice how you didn't deny it_

 **Because as far as I'm concerned, you never asked it as a question. I don't have to answer it.**

 _fine. if given the choice of having only two specific people of the friends you know  
in our school, what two other people would you choose for a threesome with you?_

 **Pass.**

 _i knew you would say that :) thank you_

 **What?**

 _just ask your question_

 **Have you ever used porn to try to get yourself off sexually?**

 _once_

 **Look who's the perv now. Porn girl.**

 _it doesn't work when you say it_

 ***rolls eyes* Of course.**

 _have you ever stared at my ass at any point in your life?_

 **Yes**

 _busted. i'm never letting you live this down_

 **Doesn't really mean anything. Like I've said before, when you stand from your chair, it's in my direct line of sight.**

 _yes, but the word i used was 'stare'. Not 'glance'. will you change your answer?_

 **…dammit.**

 _there you have it. you are so busted, ass man. you like my ass_

 **Okay fine. If you could lick any part of my body with your tongue, where would you lick?**

 _oooooh. nice one_

 **I try.**

 _pass. i'm not answering that. there is no good answer to that question_

 **Then I'm going to assume that means that you want to lick every part.**

 _whatever floats your boat. okay last one_

 **Alright, what's your question?**

 _would you ever do me? like if you had the opportunity in the future, would you ever have sex with me?_

...

...

...

 _answer the question_

 **Pass.**

 _can't. i tricked you into using your last one already_

 **I'm done with this game then.**

 _answer the question huckleberry_

 **No.**

 _why not?_

 **It's a damn trap, that's why!**

 _how is it a trap?_

 **If I say yes, you'll call me a pervert! If I say no, you'll be offended and think I don't find you hot or attractive or something.**

 _so you find me hot_

 **What? I didn't say that.**

 _so you don't find me hot then?_

 **Dammit Maya. I'm not playing this game with you.  
**

 _in any case, you owe me an answer to the question. we said three passes and you used all of them already. don't be  
an asshole about this. if you don't answer, i will tell mr. matthews and shawn about that little bedroom incident when  
you accidentally caught me changing. you haven't forgotten i still hold that over your head, have you?  
_

 **Fine. The answer is maybe.**

 _it's a yes or no question, ranger rick. you either would want to or you wouldn't. tell the truth_

 **I hate these games you come up with.**

 _it was your decision to play with me! and i answered all your pervy ones. 'are you flexible', really?  
as if it wasn't obvious what was going through your mind  
_

 **Yeah, but I wasn't trying to be brutal with any of them. And you wouldn't have  
given me a choice whether to play with you or not!**

 _that's not my problem that you didn't think of some question like this_

 **Because I thought we were supposed to be civil!**

 _stop stalling and answer my question.  
_

 **I regret this so much.**

 _your answer?_

 **Yeah. I would.**

 _i knew it! you so perv on me! i'm never letting you live this down!_

 **Joy…**

 _if it's any consolation, i'd do you too. you know, if you weren't such a huckleberry_

 **Wonderful.**

 _plus, there's your whole rough tx side. kinda hot. it would be fun to tie him up_

 **Good to know.**

 _you should bring him out more often. make him do a strip tease for the date auction fundraiser at the end of the year  
_

 **Yeah, we're done here.**

...

...

...

 _hey, want to make a pact?_

 **What kind of pact?**

 _sex pact_

...

...

...

 _huckleberry_

...

...

...

 _hear me out first huckleberry!_

 **Don't know if I want to.**

 _in the future if we're both single and have needs, why don't we hook up when we're bored?_

 **Where did that idea even come from?**

 _i was just thinking i'd rather have guaranteed sex with a best friend than some  
one night stand with some random guy i'll forget. less risks too_

 **More risks actually. You don't sleep with friends you're attracted to, Maya.**

 _why the hell wouldn't you sleep with friends you're attracted to? that's the only reason i would sleep with someone in the first place_

 **Yeah, but is this really the kind of thing you would want to introduce into our friendship? Knowing what we look like naked?**

 _stop trying to act like you consider that a bad thing, sundance.  
_

 **I don't know Maya. We're chill, but that's a bit much.  
**

 _we literally talk about sex every time we pass notes. i know your wildest  
fantasies. and i'm pretty sure they include me. how the hell is that a bit much?_

 **Still...**

 _look lucas. you and i both know neither of us are interested in waiting until marriage  
or that spiel. why would i wait so long? if i'm ready, i'm ready and i'm just going to go for it  
_

 **But what if I'm not.**

 _you kept a secret stash of dirty magz in your car. i don't believe you_

 **Alright. Point taken. I still think that's a weird idea though.**

 _just think about it, okay? if you ever agree with me, we should discuss it again_

 **Fine**

 _i'm surprised. i thought you would be jumping for joy at the prospect of possibly getting to hook up with me_

 **That's because having sex with friends sounds like a disaster waiting to happen.**

 _nonsense. lots of people do it. we could be some of those successful people_

 **It sounds like bad news to me.**

 _only because you're scared_

 **With good reason. When has something like this ever turned out well in the movies?**

 _okay, but movies exaggerate things_

 **That's what you're saying now…**

 _because it won't mean anything_

 **Hmmm… if it were anyone else, maybe. But us? Not so sure.  
**

 _just think about it, okay?  
_

...

...

...

 _sophomore year is going to blow_

 **I don't know. It might be fun. We'll no longer be treated like babies at school.**

 _true, but there's a heavier schoolwork payoff and we can't use the i'm a freshman excuse for not doing the work anymore_

 **You're the only one who did that. Ever.**

 _whatever. think you'll date around now that we've got the hang of school?_

 **Depends**

 _on what?_

 **On if they're my type.**

 _oh i see. so as long as they're blonde and short, you'll consider it_

 **Har har. Just because most of the women in the magazine were blonde and of a  
certain height doesn't mean that's my only type.**

 _but it's your preferred. especially sexually_

 **Urgh… you'll never let this go.**

 _damn skippy i won't :D_

...

...

...

 _where will you be for the first part of summer?_

 **Zay's lake house in Texas probably. You're all welcome to stay with us if you want.**

 _i don't think so. you're already perverted enough. i don't want fuel even more fantasies if i wear a bikini_

 **I've already seen you in a bikini before.  
**

 _that's why i said even more. i'll be giving you even more fuel_

 **You know, I bet you keep trying to push that I supposedly "perv" on you because you secretly wish for it to be true.**

 _psh yeah… and i have a dick_

 **Alright. That's it.**

 _what_

 **You've referenced dicks or talked about them or mentioned something  
related to them this _entire_ conversation.**

 _So?_

 **Therefore, I've deduced that it's at the forefront of your mind. And not just any old dick. Mine.**

 _you're delusional_

 **Am I? Am I really?**

 _yes. yes, you really are_

 **The fact that you haven't shut up about me masturbating or made  
dick comments is starting to make me think Zay was right.**

 _zay? what the hell did he say?_

 **I showed him our notes and he said that you want me ;) Your little sex pact confirms it**

 _whoa whoa whoa. have you been showing zay all of our notes?_

 **I only showed him part of one.**

 _which one did you show him?_

 **Bucky McBoingBoing.**

 _as in… the one where you kept saying I had a crush on you_

 **Yeah, I think so.**

 _are you seeing the problem here or no?_

 **…shit.**

 _YOU DID THIS_

 **Oops.**

 _IT'S YOUR FAULT. THIS RUMOUR IS SPREADING BECAUSE YOU TOLD BLABBERMOUTH BABINEAUX_

 **Sorry!**

 _you have ten seconds to gtfo of this room before I'm climbing over your desk and kicking your  
ass and with that arm of yours not in use, i'm sure you'll need that head start to get away  
_

 **Maya it's not that big a deal. Besides, I can't leave the room or I'll get in trouble.**

 _10, 9, 8…_

 **Maya come on. It was an accident.**

 _1_

 **Peace out.**


	70. Electric Shock

**A/N: ATTENTION:** **DreamsForSale,** **Famia, define-minkii, juiceboxxes, Mskyla123, AustralianGirl, SmoothieSam, neverthecanonOTP, omgphelicia, Ali, friarhart & mayaslucas (from tumblr), and numerous Guests, I put all of your requests into one fic called Quandaries, published outside the compilation because it was enormous. But I did write out your requests :)  
**

 **Also Alice hi! I did see your review :3 I honestly appreciate it and thank you for being so unbelievably kind; I'm touched that you think so. You're wonderful, beautiful, lovely m** **a chérie.**

 **With the start of the term, I obviously haven't been updating as much. So I'm actually no longer going to be doing the updating marathon. There's no time. But I'm still working to get out you guys' requests so don't worry! I haven't given up on that. I know it's been taking a little while, but I'll get to them all. I cut them down by about a third with Quandaries thank goodness, so now I'm working on some more. But writing in general is going to be immensely slowed down because I'm actually working on a long term project that takes up so much of my time already.  
**

 **On queue:** **3.141592... (etc lol) request for Lucas getting dared to kiss Maya!** **  
**

 **Enjoy! Thank you very much all you beautiful people for the sweet reviews! I appreciate the support very much and I am glad you all have been enjoying the stupid oneshots lol! I know it's been months and I'm trying to get back up to speed with school and work and my updates, but regardless, I have nothing to say but thank you for your lovely requests and above that, thank you for being patient with me :3  
**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own GMW.**

* * *

 **Title: Electric Shock  
Pairings&Characters: Lucaya, others**  
 **Genre: Angst, Romance, Humor, AU** **  
Rating: Borderline M for Milky Situations (Warning you now: this is a _full_ Borderline M and _dirty._ Do not read this if you get squeamish about inappropriate and/or nasty stuff because I mean it. This is legit Borderline M, right on the cusp of straight M, in what  happens, not conversation topics. This one is a little crazy, but then again lol, isn't that the point?)  
Summary: She wants it just as much as he does. And he'll definitely use that against her.  
**

 **Sequel to Locked And Loaded (56). [will be revised later]  
**

 **Added in a request from 'from tumblr' for kinky stuff lol. Idk if this is what you meant by kinky, but lol, I find this "kinky" in some ways. Thank you for the request! :3**

* * *

"You are so sexy when you're coming." Lucas said softly, his darkened gaze heady as he watched her unravel in front of him.

He had a slight smirk on his face as she came down from her high. This was crazy. She felt so weak and so angry at the same time, but also so unbelievably turned on. She wanted Lucas, so badly, and this wasn't helping. All she wanted was to have his mouth sucking between her legs. She wanted him inside her. He gently stroked her back, and she leaned against him heavily as he watched her with a fond look of exasperation on his face.

"You won't have the upper hand forever, you know?" She panted, a burst of ecstasy running through her twitching body. "You should stop this because you won't be able to keep this up for long. I'm going to destroy you."

"We will stop this, Maya. Because I want to fuck you. You don't know how badly I just want to be inside you. I want to make you scream my name." Lucas growled. Maya shivered involuntarily, his words and touch making the fire between her legs even stronger. "Against a wall. In your bed. In my car. Until we're both too tired to move."

"If we both want the same thing then why the fuck are you doing this?"

 _~Earlier that evening~_

Maya had been utterly tempted not to invite Lucas to the banquet of her induction into the Artist Guild with several other art students, but she'd handed out invitations to Riley, Farkle, Zay, Smackle and a plethora of their other friends. Not giving Lucas an invite would have automatically raised some alarms and the last thing she wanted to do was give her friends a reason to suspect something was going on between them. Zay was already making comments about them apparently having eye sex. She didn't want to add to the rising suspicions of their newfound tensions.

But truth be told, Maya was kind of _terrified._

Not of Lucas, no. But of what he could possibly be planning for her as revenge. More than a week or so had passed since she'd left him chained to his bed, and he hadn't done anything to her yet, but she'd been a bit jittery, making sure she was never alone with him. So far, he hadn't given her any reason to believe he was up to no good and he didn't seem to be displaying any outward feelings of animosity, but she wouldn't be letting her guard down anytime soon since he was sitting right next to her at their table.

For the most part though, the dinner had passed swimmingly with all their friends having a great time. It'd been a while since they'd all had the chance to hang out together, so it was great that they were able to chill as a group and enjoy each other's company. Maya almost forgot she was currently in a war with Lucas because things were so easy going.

At least… until the sponsors began to award the recipients with their trophies of artistry plaques for the banquet. And that's when she felt Lucas' hand on her knee, tracing light circles.

Maya almost missed it because it had felt so natural, so innocent, almost supportive. It could have even been Farkle doing it—that's how unthreatening the motion seemed. She almost believed for a second that Lucas didn't mean anything by it as he sipped on his water, but when she glanced at him, she saw the undeniable ghost of a smirk gracing his lips and she _knew_ it was not an innocent gesture.

 _"Harrison Albert."_

Maya glared at Lucas, silently daring him to continue if he wanted to keep his hand, but his smirk only grew a bit, his hand slowly creeping up her thigh.

"How long is this name list going to take?" Zay asked with a groan. "I've got a booty call in forty minutes. She finally has some free time."

"You can't miss it for Maya's inauguration?" Farkle asked.

"She's a gymnast!"

Farkle and some of the other guys nodded sagely in understanding.

Riley looked at the program. "It doesn't have the names on it. Maya? How many people are recipients of this award?"

She looked at Riley, a little distracted because Lucas' hand had skimmed under the bottom of her dress and had trailed its way up, grazing the skin of her inner thigh, the cool from his hand making goosebumps rise up on Maya's skin. She inhaled a bit sharply, a jolt of expectant pleasure running up her back when his thumb brushed right up above her sensitive spot.

"One hundred thirty two," she said quietly, shooting Lucas a look. "There are only thirty inductees for the Guild, the rest are Honourable Mentions for Outstanding Artistry."

The others groaned loudly, looking annoyed at the prospect of having to sit through so many people. Farkle started complaining about something Riley was emphatically agreeing with, but Maya wasn't paying attention, her focus only on the hand lightly skimming her inner thighs, every once in a while touching her before pulling a bit away. Lucas chuckled under his breath when she spread her legs wider almost involuntarily, his knuckles brushing against clit. She inhaled sharply, her eyes nearly fluttering closed as he lazily trailed a finger up her folds, teasing her entrance, dipping in the slightest bit but resting at the edge. He repeated the action and Maya grit her teeth in annoyance.

"Well at least Maya is up at the H's. So here's the plan," Zay said conspiratorially. "We sneak away after she gets her award and go somewhere to celebrate. I'm thinking a bar. And then I'll leave early so I can have my cake and eat it too."

 _"Roberta Balalaika."_

"You're disgusting, Isaiah." Smackle commented nonchalantly, pushing her glasses up her nose. "And on top of that, we're not all twenty-one."

"I agree with Smackle," Lucas said calmly. "Maya, what do you want to do? It's your celebration."

She shot Lucas a glare as he smirked, slowly easing a finger inside her, and she nearly moaned, gripping the edge of the table, and trying not to make a noise that would alert their friends of exactly what he was doing to her.

"I think… _oh_." Maya slightly tilted her head back, breathing heavily for a few moments, a ripple of pleasure dancing through her body when he began pumping slowly.

"You okay, Maya?" Riley asked in concern. "Your face is kind of red."

"I'm… f-fine," she responded shakily, the pressure and heat beneath her navel mounting when his thumb caressed her clit. "… _oh_ … right there…"

"What?" Farkle said in confusion.

Maya froze, snapping her mouth shut as she met the eyes of her friends, all staring back at her in concern. Lucas took another nonchalant sip of his drink with a snort, pulling his hand away completely and out from beneath her dress. Maya automatically lamented the loss of the simulation and glanced over at Lucas in annoyance. Was this his idea of a joke?

 _"Emma Emmerson."_

"I'll be back. I have to use the restroom," Lucas said before standing up to leave, giving Maya a subtle indecent look that clearly was daring her to follow him.

She swallowed hard, lingering sparks of pleasure shooting through her body. She waited a few seconds as they watched Emma go to the stage to accept her golden plaque.

"Maya, are you sure you're okay?" Riley asked. "Your face is a little flushed."

"I'm fine." Maya growled, standing from her seat and trying to ignore the dampness she felt between her legs. "I just need some air…"

She stormed towards the doors of the banquet hall, heading in the direction Lucas had left. Damn him for getting her worked up. She knew it could potentially be a bad idea to follow him, especially since they were still in this high stakes competition with each other, but she wanted to know what the hell he had been thinking. And that look he'd given her before leaving had absolutely been a look of challenge. And there was no way Maya was going to back down from a challenge. Especially not a challenge from Lucas Huckleberry Friar.

She headed out the door and walked a little ways down the hall, her gaze darting left and right for him.

"Looking for me?" His voice came from behind her. "I knew you would come out here."

Before she could turn around, two hands caught Maya around the waist and tugged her backwards. She fell back against a firm chest and her nose filled with the alluring scent of Lucas' familiar cologne.

"What the fuck was that?" Maya asked in annoyance, though she leaned back into him, relishing in the hardness poking into her back. He was just as turned on as she was. "Fingering me? Seriously? During the banquet?"

"I needed to get you alone." he murmured in her ear, his hand slipping under her dress. "This was the best way I knew how."

 _"Patrick Esley."_

"Why, so you can try to embarrass me?" A shiver ran down her back when his fingers drifted over the sensitive skin of her inner thigh, so close, but not quite touching what she really wanted him to. "Not gonna happen, bub. I know your every move."

"No… I just want you…" Lucas growled into her ear, tugging on the lobe with his teeth. "You in that dress is damn near impossible to resist."

Maya tilted her head with a soft whimper, her hand travelling up of its own accord and sliding around the back of his neck as he palmed the juncture between her legs. He stroked her languidly, sucking on her neck, and Maya's legs nearly buckled as a breathless sigh escaped her lips.

She would be lying if she said she hadn't been hoping for a continuation of what he'd started inside the banquet hall.

"It'll take more than that to trick me into doing anything with you." Maya sighed, spreading her legs wider to give him more access, her eyes fluttering closed as he rubbed the sensitive bundle of nerves with his thumb. "I know you're planning something. I already used the deception ploy in this game. Do you really think I'll fall for this?"

 _"Nikita Furman."_

"I don't care about the game. You know what I want. I made it clear that I want to finish what we started on my bed." He moved away the strap of her dress, slowly kissing her shoulder. "Why aren't you wearing any underwear?"

"I don't believe you…" she breathed out, arching her hips closer to his exploring fingers. "You're plotting something. I don't know when, but you're not going to get the jump on me."

But she wondered if he already had. Lucas touching her made it too hard to think. Her brain wasn't focusing, her mind only on the amazing sensation of Lucas's finger trailing small circles, teasing her and slowly dipping in, but stopping right where she needed him to go. Maya let out a soft moan, leaning back against him, her legs quivering as he dragged a finger along her wetness, a fire raging between her legs from the feel of him caressing her.

"You know you're dripping wet, right?" He licked her neck slowly, a dark chuckle escaping his lips. "You want it just as much as I do. Admit it."

She knew she did. Probably more so. She'd been entertaining the thought of letting Lucas bend her over a desk and fucking her hard for quite a while now. Just the thought of it was turning her on more than she wanted to admit. And it didn't help that she was surrounded by Lucas' scent, her breathing coming out in shallow pants as he slid a finger inside of her, pumping slowly.

 _"Amanda Giovanni."_

"So what…" she breathed out, threading her fingers into his hair as fire danced through her body. "Never gonna happen. I'm going to win this thing."

"Whatever helps you sleep at night, Maya. One day it'll happen. And I know you're going to give up."

Maya leaned into him, moaning long and low when he twisted his finger, pressing a sensitive part of her wall and rendering her temporarily immobile as her breath hitched. She momentarily couldn't breathe. There was something so intense and provocative about being fingered in the hallway of an award ceremony with people in the room right by them, the possibility of someone coming out and seeing them at any time only heightening the adrenaline pumping through her veins.

" _Oh fuck yes_ …" She sucked in a sharp breath, her head falling back against Lucas' chest as he slid another digit into her, stretching her and thumbing her most sensitive spot. He splayed his other hand across her abdomen, keeping her still as he stroked her to oblivion. "… _Don't stop_."

 _"Randy Greggory."_

"If we had time, I would have loved to find us somewhere more private."

But the ceremony was still happening, and Maya knew there was no time to finish this up, whatever the hell it was.

"Lucas, they're almost at the H's."

"I know…"

He still was working her though, her body struggling to focus on anything other than the electric sensations passing through her body. Maya could feel herself getting close, the pressure mounting immensely from his ministrations. She closed her eyes, her ragged breathing coming out faster as her toes curled in pleasure.

She knew this was a bad idea, but she couldn't walk away. She couldn't let this stop. Lucas had a hold on her and with his arms around her and lips on her neck and fingers inside her and his scent surrounding her, it was clouding her mind, and she was really starting to only think about getting banged out in this hallway despite knowing that it could very well mean her loss. She didn't want Lucas to win, but her needs were starting to take the forefront of her mind, and she knew she was struggling to resist the temptation.

It could be fast. She wasn't asking for flowery bullshit. Really, all she wanted was a good, hard fuck up against a wall. He was right there, ready to deliver. And she was right there, ready to take what he had to offer.

 _"Mayumi Hall."_

"L-Lucas," she whimpered, lost in the intoxicating cloud of need, wanting nothing more than for Lucas to continue touching her, getting her off, "I'm probably next."

"Good," he growled lowly in her ear, his voice treacherous.

And that was when she felt something cold and solid pressing against her entrance. Or more specifically something cold and solid being pushed inside her by Lucas. Maya's eyes snapped open with a gasp, broken out of her lustful haze, and she tried to pull away from Lucas in shock. He held her tightly to him, steadily pushing it up all the while. She could feel something deep in her, brushing against her wall.

"What the fuck did you just do?" Maya growled, glaring at him over her shoulder.

"Just having a little fun."

He pulled his fingers out of her and moved his hand away from the bottom of her dress, loosening his hold on her completely.

"You were really wet, Maya," he said in amusement.

She jerked out of his hold and spun around, glaring at him angrily.

"Lucas, what was that? You put something in me."

He rose a brow. "Did I?"

"I'm serious, Huckleberry." She looked down, wiggling uncomfortably when she felt the weight of the object rubbing against her walls. "I can feel something. What did you do?!"

"You'll see," Lucas muttered, no smile whatsoever on his face anymore and a sharp glint in his eyes that made Maya suddenly feel unbelievably anxious.

Shit.

 _"Maya Hart."_

"You better get going." He jerked his chin in the direction of the banquet hall. "They're calling your name."

Maya growled and spun around, deciding she'd come back afterwards and figure out what the hell Lucas just did to her. It wasn't uncomfortable. Nothing felt out of sorts; she just knew something was _in_ _there_. Yes, it felt a little awkward walking around with something inside her, but she didn't have time to figure out what it was. She'd come right back out after getting her award so she could get the damn thing out whatever it was.

"You better not go anywhere. I'll find you and figure out what you just did," she called out over her shoulder.

"Oh I promise I'm not going anywhere…" Lucas said with a smirk, a dark look hooding his eyes. "I'm not missing this."

Maya walked briskly in, heading towards the stage and smiling as the congregation applauded her though she felt unbelievably apprehensive from how ominous Lucas' tone had been. She climbed the side stairs of the stage, feeling strange, like something was about to go horribly wrong.

And that was when she felt it.

It was subtle at first, a tickle. No more than gentle tingling between her legs that made her momentarily pause, as if her underwear was causing an itch. But within the next second, she felt sharper vibrations and the tingling became more profound, heat suddenly flooding her body. Maya's breath hitched in her chest and she froze as her body shuddered.

She knew exactly what it was. The slight buzzing. The growing pleasure between her legs.

A _vibrator_.

"Fuck…" she muttered under her breath, ignoring the look the Director of the Art's Program gave her in confusion when she stood still at the side of the stage.

He didn't.

She slowly looked towards the door of the banquet hall and sure enough, Lucas was standing there dangling a remote in his fingertips as he watched her. Her body convulsed, and she felt electricity cascade through her. Maya stumbled forward, her eyes widening as her body suddenly started to grow very hot.

Oh hell no. He'd put a _vibrator_ in her. What kind of deranged crazy bullshit was that?

And then the vibrations got much more intense, fire pooling in her abdomen, travelling through her body and burning her. Maya's jaw slackened, and she took in a shuddering breath, squeezing her thighs together and fighting the moan that was threatening to burst through her mouth.

"Miss Hart?"

Maya swallowed hard, slightly leaning down, her hands on her knees as she tried to control herself, trying so, so hard to keep it together. But it was impossible. And it felt _amazing_.

"…oh gosh…"

She straightened and walked unsteadily towards the woman holding the award, trying to focus on each of her steps to get to her destination but her legs are shaking so badly. Maya nearly moaned when a wave of pleasure shot through her body. Could they hear the buzzing?

"Miss Hart, are you alright? Your face is very red."

She nodded jerkily, not trusting herself to speak without it coming out all wanton and sexual. Her legs were fighting her with everything they had. Her breathing grew choppy when everything suddenly grew much stronger again and very focused, intense pleasure piercing her core. Maya staggered forward with a sharp gasp, slumping heavily against the podium.

Lucas. That fucking asshole.

Riley and most of the crowd were watching with furrowed brows in confusion, staring at her as she clutched the podium, her body shaking as it became overcome by the very sharp ripples building between her legs, her walls contracting around the vibrator.

" _Oohhh_ …" she whimpered breathlessly as her body was wracked with intense spasms. " _Fuck… yes_ …"

"Miss Hart, what is the matter?!"

Maya fought off her squeal of pleasure, gripping the podium tightly as she stiffened, seized by an uncontrollable sensation that wracked her entire body, fire dancing through her veins as she convulsed around the vibrator. A silent scream left her lips, her breath only punctuated gasps from her rapidly approaching orgasm.

And then the vibrations stopped abruptly, yanking her off of the cusp of coming. Maya swallowed hard, leaning her head against the cool wood, trying to catch her breath as her body shuddered from her near climax.

"Miss Hart?"

She straightened up, hoping people didn't know what had just occurred because she knew her face was on fire. She hurried over to the lady with the plaque and shook her hand as she took it, grimacing the slightest bit when she felt the stickiness between her legs. Then she walked off the stage, trying to keep her expression neutral and legs from shaking although she was definitely having trouble walking.

Maya approached the table with her friends, ignoring the confused looks they were giving her. She set the plaque in front of Riley.

"Maya, are you okay?" Farkle asked in alarm. "Your face really is red."

"I uh… I feel a little sick." She lied, eyeing Lucas standing near the doors and gritting her teeth. "I'll be back, okay?"

"Do you want me to come with you?" Riley asked.

"No. I'm good. Everything's fine."

She stormed away without another word, furious as she approached Lucas who was standing there with a drop dead smirk on his face, like he was oh so hilarious for his stupid little prank.

" _You_ …"

She yanked him by the tie and tugged him behind her as she pulled him out to the hall way. Maya pressed him backwards against a wall, jabbing a finger into his chest.

"You dick! What the fuck were you thinking?!"

"I was thinking that I needed to get back at you," Lucas said simply, shrugging like it didn't matter.

"So you got a vibrator stuck inside me?! Take it out!"

"It's pretty high up. I don't think it'll be easy to get out. But feel free to go to the hospital to take care of your little situation. I'm sure those doctors and nurses will get a kick out of your predicament."

Her eyes narrowed angrily. "That's just cruel."

"Is it?" he asked with a quirked brow, pushing a button on the controller he had in his hand.

The vibrations started up once again, strong and almost brutally intense. She gasped, collapsing against him and whimpering helplessly as he upped the intensity. Lucas caught her waist, holding her upright as her legs trembled.

"Maya, don't worry…" he murmured in her ear, "I'll go easy on you the first half hour."

"Lucas…" She groaned, clinging to him desperately. She hated it, but she loved it and that was what made it so bad in the first place. The fact that he was controlling it, that at any moment, he could make it worse was such an unbelievable turn on to her for some reason. Her heart was battering erratically in her chest. She wanted him too much. What the fuck was he doing to her? "Why?"

"You gave me the worst blue balls I've ever had in my life. Not to mention how funny everyone thought it was that I was tied to my bed and left fully cocked. It hurt for a good hour and masturbating was pretty damn unpleasant." Lucas tucked her hair behind her ear, shushing her gently when she let out a weak moan. "So I'm paying you back with pleasure as torture. I figured this was fair."

As much as Maya hated to admit it, it was genius. She drew in a ragged, shaky breath, clutching his suit jacket to try to keep herself upright as her legs shook. Maya rubbed her thighs together, having difficulty breathing right when the vibrations were hitting a spot just right. She hated it. It was sweet, sweet _torture._ But it felt so unbelievably amazing.

"Lucas… _Oh_ …" Maya pulled him down so they were face to face. She closed her eyes, whimpering when she felt herself contract sharply again. "Are you a dumbass? You could be the one making me come, and you choose this shit instead?"

"I would rather get revenge," he whispered softly against her lips, his gaze sending heat dancing through her body.

"Do you even hear yourself? I'm telling you we need to stop this. This is getting ridiculous! Why don't you just fuck… _Oooh_ …" She sucked in a startled breath when he increased the intensity of the vibrations, dropping her forehead onto his chest as the pressure grew exponentially. " _Shit_ …"

Maya' breathing grew harsh and uneven, little high pitched whimpers of euphoria escaping her lips as spasms of uncontrollable pleasure took her over the edge. She bit her lower lip, trying to keep from crying out in ecstasy at the overwhelming ripples of heat from her cataclysmic release, her knees buckling as she rode out the wave of an intense orgasm crashing right through her.

" _Fuck…_ " she breathed out in agonizing bliss, draping her arms over Lucas' shoulders. "… _yes… Yes_!"

"You are so sexy when you're coming." Lucas said softly, his darkened gaze heady as he watched her unravel in front of him.

He had a slight smirk on his face as she came down from her high. This was crazy. She felt so weak and so angry at the same time, but also so unbelievably turned on. She wanted Lucas, so badly, and this wasn't helping. All she wanted was to have his mouth sucking between her legs. She wanted him inside her. He gently stroked her back, and she leaned against him heavily as he watched her with a fond look of exasperation on his face.

"You won't have the upper hand forever, you know?" She panted, a burst of ecstasy running through her twitching body. "You should stop this because you won't be able to keep this up for long. I'm going to destroy you."

"We will stop this, Maya. Because I want to fuck you. You don't know how badly I just want to be inside you. I want to make you scream my name." Lucas growled. Maya shivered involuntarily, his words and touch making the fire between her legs even stronger. "Against a wall. In your bed. In my car. Until we're both too tired to move."

"If we both want the same thing then why the fuck are you doing this?"

Lucas turned off the vibrator, and Maya released the breath she had been holding, her body trembling as she went limp in his arms, panting to catch her breath. He turned them around, setting her against the wall, and stepped back, staring her down impassively as she leaned heavily back against it, face flushed and breathing harsh as she tried to stop her quivering body.

"I'm not stopping this revenge thing until you give up." Lucas muttered, dangerously low.

" _Never_." She snarled, her breath coming out in shallow pants. "Go fuck yourself, Lucas. I'm going to make you wish you were dead once I get this out."

" _If_ you can get it out."

Lucas knew he had just changed the rules of the game now. He'd blown up the unspoken boundaries of their initial game with his little prank and now he knew it was anything goes. Whatever Maya decided to do, he better damn well be ready for because he had no doubt it would be vicious and no holds barred. He waved the remote at her patronizingly, turning it back on to a low setting and loving her low moan of pleasure as he walked towards the banquet hall.

"See you inside, Shortstack."

"You're gonna fucking get it, you fucking jackass!"

He upped the intensity. She whimpered breathlessly.

It was sweet, sweet music to his ears.


	71. Goodbye Maya

**A/N: Happy (Belated) Valentine's Day! I had a great one. I had a date with my kitty cat Lunette, ate caramel corn and drank wine with Maman while we watched all the rom coms we could stomach until I threw up the caramel corn! How was you guys'?**

 **And hi Guest! I already have a multichaptered CEO!Lucas/PA!Maya fic, so your request might get fulfilled in some way or another, but it won't be in L &W.**

 **I know there was the obvious way to write this request: he gets dared, they kiss, it gets intense because they have feelings for each other, they talk about it or don't talk about it, and either happy ending or ambiguous ending. Buuuuuuut I wanted to go a different route from the usual truth or dare thing ;3 Angst for the win. A friend told me episode seven of S3 will be a game changer by the name of GM Ski Lodge and then I thought, oooh, let's write some angst and drama.**

 **Working on responding to everything gradually, because once again, I've fallen behind... sigh  
**

 **On queue:** **gmwLucayalover for Lucas and Maya being actors in a movie together!** **  
**

 **Enjoy! Thank you for always being so supportive and kind to me! I honestly appreciate all of you guys' comments and reactions and I'm glad that you are letting me know what does and doesn't work! I know the last chapter was a bit much lol, but then again, when do I ever write anything actually tame lol? I love you guys! Thanks for making my day ad thanks for the requests! :3  
**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own GMW.**

* * *

 **Title: Goodbye Maya  
Pairings&Characters: Lucas, Maya, OC**  
 **Genre: Angst, Hurt/Comfort, Drama, Romance, canon compliant/future** **(AU?)  
Rating: T for Totally Irrevocable  
Summary: He should have kissed her when he had the chance.  
**

 **Request by 3.14159265358979 for the group to play truth or dare and Lucas getting dared to kiss Maya. I completely subverted your request and it's kind of word vomit-y, but if you still want the scenario I think you had in mind, just request this prompt once again, kay love? Thank you for the request! :3  
**

* * *

He should have just kissed her.

Lucas should have just kissed Maya when he had the chance.

Maybe if he had, she wouldn't be sitting in Topanga's on Valentine's Day sharing a strawberry smoothie with Noah Rossi. They wouldn't be holding hands and gazing into each other's eyes, infatuated, a teen couple slowly but surely—Lucas knows—falling in love with each other. Lucas wouldn't be staring at Maya and her boyfriend, checking out of Farkle and Zay's argument about boxers versus briefs. He wouldn't be pining after her, his heart breaking with each lovestruck smile Maya would give Noah.

Each lovestruck smile that should have been Lucas'.

But he was a coward. And he had no one to blame for this but himself and his inability freshman year to recognize that each day that went by that he didn't tell Maya how he felt had been another day she took a step away from him. And the breaking point had been that damned truth or dare game the first night at the ski lodge with their friends.

All he had to do was kiss Maya since he'd gotten dared to, but instead he'd floundered and avoided it like the plague to the point where everyone let him off the hook because he'd made things so awkward. He'd never been good at expressing his thoughts when they pertained to her. Maya laughed it off, but he'd seen it: the pain in her expression as she stared at the carpet.

Maybe if Lucas had kissed Maya, she wouldn't have avoided him and ignored him the rest of the night. Maybe if he hadn't been so damn scared of the thought of kissing Maya when he had feelings for her, he wouldn't have run his mouth and made her feel like she wasn't worth kissing. Maybe if he had tried to explain to her that he was anxious and that he didn't want to possibly drive some sort of invisible wedge between her and Riley instead of letting the night end without explanation, she would still have talked to him the next day.

Maybe if he hadn't given her space from her silent treatment, she never would have gone to the lounge instead of hanging out with their friends near the fireplace playing cards. Maybe she never would have looked at the paintings hanging on the wall and never would have caught the attention of Noah Rossi.

They would have never started talking about art. They would have never realized how much they both loved it. They would have never started talking about the music they liked and their penchants for mischief. They would have never found out about their dysfunctional families, and Maya would have never told him about her father with a new family and half a mom.

They would have never realized how much they had in common.

And how compatible they were.

Lucas had been planning on apologizing. But when Maya came down to dinner with Noah that evening, introducing him to their friends and integrating him into the group before Lucas had a chance to say anything, he'd lost his nerve. There was something off about the way Maya and Noah spoke to each other. Something playful and flirtatious and almost charged. Something he'd always found lingered in between the conversations he generally shared with Maya. It made him uneasy.

And it didn't stop there.

Because of the truth or dare debacle, she became such close friends with Noah to the point that classmates were starting to tease them about becoming a couple on this trip. Lucas desperately hoped it wasn't true. He knew class trips like these—outside of the confines of the norms of school and away from all peer pressure and social groups—were exactly the kind of trips where people became close and started to develop new friendships and in some cases, _romances_.

But they spent every waking moment of the trip together, having a great time laughing and hanging out with each other. Lucas felt helpless, like he couldn't do anything but watch as Maya grew closer and closer to another guy. He knew what was happening. It was inevitable, though he clung to his denial and hopes that Maya had found a new friend. _Just_ a new friend.

But he could see Maya's eyes gleam in excitement when she saw Noah approach. He could see her run her hand through her hair and twirl her finger between strands in that flirty way she'd take to doing. He could hear her little bashful giggles when Noah complimented her and the way she would blush and get almost _shy_ with Noah in a way Lucas had never before seen her do in his life.

Lucas was driven mad with jealousy. And the worst part was this was worse than her little crush on Josh. At least with Josh, Lucas had understood that it was unrequited. That Josh wasn't interested in Maya and would never entertain the thought of dating his niece's best friend. But Noah was in their grade and in several of Maya's classes.

Lucas had been hoping that maybe this was one of those relationships that would only last the duration of the trip and crumble to pieces under pressure, but one week after the trip turned to two turned into a month turned into two months turned into _several_ turned into a year turned into three. They took a semester break junior year when Noah went abroad, but once he returned, Maya was pretty much attached at the hip with him.

He suspected Noah and Maya had taken a pretty large step in their relationship somewhere around the middle of junior year. She hadn't told him, but he'd watched Maya have a secret conversation with Riley who squealed incredibly loudly while Maya was red in the face. He'd understood exactly what it was without needing to hear the words directly.

And it hurt.

It hurt so bad when Lucas had wanted to be her first.

And it became pretty clear after that that Noah was there to stay. Maya brought him to all their school events and to dances. Had him as her plus one to art gallery shows and competitions. Invited him out when the group went to movies. And it sucked that Noah was actually nice. He was a perfect fit for Maya in every way. They both loved art, had difficult home lives, slackers that found school an utter bore. It was like Maya had found the male version of herself who seemed to implicitly understand everything about her without trouble. Lucas dated around too, going out with cheerleader friends of Riley's, but he was never serious, always hoping that if he kept himself from truly falling for someone, Maya would one day wake up from Noah and realize she wanted him. But she got along great with Noah, and nothing could possibly shake them.

Except come senior year when they broke up because some girl tried to kiss Noah at a party and Maya's trust issues drove a wedge in their relationship.

And Lucas took the opportunity to try to get her back. To tell her how he felt—how he'd always felt—and that he'd always wanted to be with her. Not a day didn't go by when she called him Huckleberry or pulled him close with a smirk on her lips or linked her arms with his and leaned her head on his shoulder that he didn't think of one day getting the chance to finally do what he should have done years ago before the whole mess with the triangle.

Maybe he'd been selfish, but when Noah and Maya broke up, he knew he had one window of opportunity. He didn't have much time and he knew it. Lucas wanted to let her know that he'd made the biggest mistake of his life not pursuing her. That he wanted to kiss her. That he wanted to be her first and last and only and wanted to be the one to wipe away her tears and make her laugh and smile and feel like she was worth way more than the most expensive diamonds in the world because to him she was everything.

She kissed him.

And kissed him again.

And kissed him again until the end of each kiss became the beginning of another.

Until her fingers were threading into his hair and his hands were gripping her waist.

Until their limbs were helplessly tangled on the sheets, their fingertips and lips leaving bruises on each other.

Until he could feel the tears dropping from her eyes onto his cheeks and dripping onto her pillow.

She was clearly looking to forget, clearly hoping to move on in some way from her almost broken relationship with Noah, clearly hoping to use Lucas to take her mind off of things. And for a few minutes, Lucas almost let it happen.

He let her tug off his shirt. Let her pull her dress over her head. Let her straddle his hips. Let her unbuckle his belt.

For a few minutes, he tried to force himself to pretend she loved him back and that he had the girl of his dreams.

But he knew it wasn't true.

And this _wasn't_ the way he wanted this to happen.

He didn't want to be Maya's rebound or just some available guy for her to have a quick screw with. He didn't want to be some revenge ploy to get back at Noah. He didn't want to sleep with her just because she was emotional and needed comfort and companionship. He didn't want to confuse her.

And he especially didn't want to blur or wreck the lines of their friendship because he knew she would run.

It was wrong.

He could have easily let it play out, told her his feelings, and gotten her back. He _knew_ he could have. He could see it in her eyes, the way the blue swirled with heat as she stared down at him. The soft moans she let out when he was sucking on her neck. The way she clung to him, grinding against him, her breathing harsh and uneven in his ear.

He knew he could have had his Shortstack back.

But he also knew she wouldn't be able to deal with all her conflicting emotions.

In that moment, he knew he couldn't do it. Looking into Maya's red-rimmed eyes and tear-stained cheeks, the only thing he could think about was the fact that she needed a _friend_. And he would do Maya a great injustice if he tried to put the moves on her or sleep with her when she was vulnerable and looking for comfort. For someone to keep her company and tell her everything would be alright and that she and Noah were in love and this little spat wouldn't break them. For someone to tell her to keep having hope because this minor setback was just that: a minor setback. She didn't need a bastard of a best friend trying to hook up with her when she was lost and scared just because he was in love with her and a selfish asshole.

And he would be wrong to try to take Maya from Noah when Noah had been nothing but friendly with Lucas and treated Maya right.

And that was what ultimately made him feel the most guilt. Maya was _happy_ with Noah. Noah gave Maya all the attention she wanted and more and honestly, Lucas was starting to feel like he'd never be able to be that guy for Maya. All Lucas would ever be was a bad memory of a stressful time in her life when her heart nearly got broken time and time again. A guy who'd messed up more than once when it came to her and would mess up even more in the future. He could only make her unhappy. She didn't deserve that. She deserved the best, and though it pained him to admit it, he knew that was Noah.

So he'd resigned himself to the fact that he'd missed his chance. And that Maya _loved_ Noah. And he couldn't get in the way of that.

He wanted to be with Maya, but now it was too late. She'd moved on from him. She'd moved on from the triangle and having to wait. She'd moved on from all the trouble and the heartache and the subtle irrevocable damages to her friendships with both Riley and Lucas each day that their issues continued. She wanted out and she'd pulled away. She fell for a good guy, a decent one who'd proven to her time and time again that she was always worth it and that he would always put her first no matter what. And Lucas didn't blame her with the problems lingering between their whole friend group after Texas all those many damn years ago.

He was an idiot. When it hadn't been a good idea to kiss her in the chaos of Riley breaking off their unofficial thing, he'd almost done it. But when he'd gotten the perfect opportunity to kiss her during a harmless game of truth or dare, he'd let it go. And now Maya was gone. And there was nothing he could do about it.

The only thing he could do was sit in Topanga's while Zay went on and on about the single's party at NYU they were headed to in a few hours to get wasted off their asses. But none of that mattered.

What mattered was Maya wearing that stunning red dress. What mattered was how beautiful she looked, perfect in every way to Lucas. What mattered was that Maya was about to leave on her Valentine's Day date with Noah.

What mattered was the love of his life was with another guy and he'd let it happen and now there was nothing he could do.

"Farks, Zay, Huckleberry. I'll see you guys tomorrow, okay?" Maya said, pulling on her coat as she followed Noah towards the door. "Enjoy the party."

"Don't do anything I wouldn't do on your date." Zay waggled his eyebrows suggestively. "Which isn't saying much because really there's not much I wouldn't do."

"I figured." Maya snorted, running her hand through her hair. She turned to Lucas with a small smile, resting her hand on his shoulder. "Have fun, okay Ranger Rick? You've been pretty down these past few days."

"Yeah." Lucas responded, keeping his gaze away from Maya, the pain in his chest only growing. "You too. Have fun."

Maya stood there for a few seconds, her hand lingering on his shoulder before she let it drop. She turned around, heading towards the doors of Topanga's to go on her date, each click of her heels hammering in Lucas' mind and further driving the nail in his heart as she walked away from him.

"You okay?" Zay asked.

Lucas sighed, leaning back in his chair and rubbing his face with his hands.

"I had her. And then I let her slip away. Twice now. What the fuck is wrong with me?"

"You know… It's been almost four years, Lucas," Farkle said softly. "Maybe it's time you let her go."

Zay nodded. "If she ever comes back to you, then it was meant to be. But don't sit there and torture yourself just because you and Maya didn't exactly have your fairy tale ending. You deserve to be happy too. And maybe that means moving on for now."

Lucas stared out the window just as Maya turned and glanced over her shoulder, her stormy blue eyes meeting his. He held her gaze, a quiet comfort passing between them through their silence. In that moment, the world seemed to disappear around them. And in that moment, he hoped she could see his love for her. He hoped she could see how happy she made him. He hoped she could see that he'd waited for so long for the chance to be with her and he messed it all up, but if he could go back in time and kiss her and tell her he wanted to be with her, he would. He hoped she could see that he was in love with her and had been for too many years to count.

And in the next moment, she smiled and turned back around, breaking eye contact. She walked away, her hand sliding into Noah's as they left, laughing about something he'd said as they disappeared into the cold February air of winter.

"You're right, Zay," Lucas finally said, his eyes still on the spot where Maya had last been. "You too, Farkle."

Maya was with Noah now, and there was nothing he could do about it but pine from afar. There was nothing Lucas could do but let her go.

And that's exactly what he would do.

No matter how much his heart was squeezing in his chest. No matter how hard it was to watch Maya leave. No matter how much he wanted to run after her and win her back, he couldn't do it.

Maybe one day he'd get the chance to truly show her how much he loved her, but for now…

 _Goodbye Maya._


	72. The Blonde Beauty

**A/N: Just a quick, lighthearted, throwback drabble while I start writing all the requests you guys have given me. I'm about to delve deep into them and really try to finish up this list! :) Sorry if you've been waiting for forever for your request, but good news is, I'm going to finish all the ones I have on standby (so like October to February) before the start of my first term in the fall!**

 **Hi Guest! Chapter 7 "My Hart" is definitely open to interpretation :3**

 **On queue:** **gmwLucayalover for Lucas and Maya being actors in a movie together! I promise you're next, love! Sorry for taking forever :)** **  
**

 **Enjoy! Hey guys, long time no see! First off, I just wanted to say thank you for your patience with me and thank you for always being so supportive no matter how long it takes me to work out the things in my life. Everything you all do for me is a blessing and I love you all so much! I'm so grateful for all of you! That being said, I'm going to make sure I do whatever it takes to get your requests out all summer! :3  
**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own GMW.**

* * *

 **Title: The Blonde Beauty  
Pairings&Characters: Lucas, Zay**  
 **Genre: Friendship, WAFF, Angst (a lil), canon compliant** **  
Rating: K for Keep On Playing It Safe  
Summary: After two months at his new school, Lucas finally calls Zay to tell him all about his new life and friends in New York.  
**

 **Request by define-minkii for Lucas skyping Zay in this headcanon. I actually changed it into a phone call, but I hope this suffices! Thank you for your request! :D**

* * *

"She's a firecracker, Zay," Lucas said. "And it's hilarious how tough and wild she acts when she's so short. And she's also pretty reckless and kind of insane in some ways. My first day of school, she started a homework riot and then made the sprinklers go off in the classroom. It was crazy. And then another time, she got an F on a test and left class even though our teacher told her not to."

Lucas snorted, thinking about the memory of that dramatic day and how Maya had decided to no longer attend school after that. She'd kind of had a pretty good point though about teachers failing students.

"She comes up with all these cowboy related nicknames for me just because I'm from Texas. Sometimes I wonder if she even knows my name. And the weirdest thing is, she sounds like she would be horrible or a major pain, but it doesn't really bug me to be honest. It's kind of fun to see what else she'll come up with next to try to get on my nerves. Or _break me_ , as she likes to say.

"I'm so winning this game though. There was a dance three weeks ago, and I dressed up like a cowboy and brought her a rose to mess with her. She seemed pretty annoyed that I got the upperhand. But I like our game. It's kind of fun."

He could honestly say with utmost certainty that the little game they played was a highlight of his day sometimes.

"She's really talented too. She's good at softball and she's amazing at art. You should have seen this one drawing she did of the night sky. I can already tell she's going to be a great artist, though I'd never tell her that to her face. She's effortlessly cool. And it's kind of incredible how beautiful her eyes are when they light up with inspiration and she smells like vanilla and strawberries and when the light hits her hair just right, it makes it look like a halo on her head and…"

Lucas tapered off when he realised the line had been quiet for a pretty long period of time since Zay hadn't responded in a while.

"Wait, what was the question again?"

 _"I asked you what your mom made for dinner..."_ Zay muttered dryly. _"I don't even know how you got on this topic."_

"Oh." Lucas chuckled. "Sorry."

 _"Okay clearly, your mind is still on your new,_ amazing _friends,"_ Zay snarked. _"So let's talk about that. Quick question, this girl who smells like vanilla and strawberries—the rowdy girl—you're talking about the girl named Riley, right?"_

Lucas frowned. "No. Maya."

 _"But you said you and Riley are an item…"_

"We are, Zay."

 _"But Riley's not The Blonde Beauty?"_

"Riley's the brunette," Lucas explained. "Maya's blonde. Keep up, Zay."

 _"So just to be totally clear, Maya is The Blonde Beauty. And Riley is The Pretty Brunette."_

"Yeah."

 _"But you're technically kind of with Riley."_

"Yes."

He didn't understand what was so confusing to Zay. He thought he'd made it pretty clear when he'd been describing the two.

 _"…Even though you like Maya?"_ Zay asked slowly. _"Are you sensing the issue here, or am I just crazy? You sure you're with the right girl, man?"_

"I never said I like Maya," Lucas corrected, his brows furrowed.

How in the world had Zay come to that conclusion?

 _"…Riiiight. You only talked about her and her antics in class for the past ten minutes straight. And apparently, you've memorized things regarding her appearance so much you can describe it in detail from memory. And you called her beautiful… But you don't like her."_

"I don't," Lucas responded defensively, feeling uncomfortable from the calculating tone in Zay's voice. "And she is beautiful. It's a simple observation. You would agree if you saw her."

 _"Nah… You're with the wrong girl, man."_ Zay snickered. _"Sounds to me like this Maya chick is exactly your type—"_

"She's _not_ my type."

 _"—Full of fire, rebellious, passionate, wild child. Perfect for the Lucas I know,"_ Zay continued, ignoring Lucas' quick denial. _"You like her and she is so your type."_

"I don't. Maybe she _would_ _have_ been my type in Austin, but I'm in New York. New beginning. I'm not going to let myself get involved with someone who—"

 _"Lights a fire in you? Effortlessly captures your attention without even batting an eye? You like her. Admit it."_

"For the last time, I don't like her!" Lucas asserted. "I don't know her that well. Plus she makes fun of me all the time!"

 _"Yet, you stare at her like she's a sun in your dark and dreary world."_ Zay teased, adopting a fake, dreamy poetic tone.

"I don't stare at her." Lucas frowned when Zay snorted on the other line. "I don't!"

 _"You do, otherwise you wouldn't know all these little things about her."_

"I sit behind her every day in pretty much every class. It's inevitable."

 _"Yeah, it's inevitable alright. It's inevitable that you're going to fall for your Blonde Beauty."_

"…I'm going to bed Zay."

He laughed. _"Don't get mad at me. You were the one who wouldn't stop talking about your Blonde Beauty."_

"She's not my blonde beauty," he growled through grit teeth.

 _"Whatever you say, Lucas. When you realise you're with the wrong girl and you want to be with your Blonde Beauty, I'll be right there in your face saying I told you so."_

"Goodnight, Zay."

He snapped his phone shut, setting it on his nightstand and shaking his head in annoyance. So maybe he was _intrigued_ by Maya, by her decision to not adhere by the rules, by her devil-may-care attitude towards life, by the way she lived with few inhibitions, not letting things hold her back from her potential and what she wanted to do. But he didn't _like_ her.

Yes, talking to her made him feel that familiar fire in him. The fire that he'd pushed so far down since coming here that he was hoping it would never resurface. The fire that he'd lost control of in the past. The fire that caused him to get in trouble more times than he could count and ultimately get kicked out of school. He couldn't risk it with her. Not when he had finally managed to ditch his past.

Back in Austin, he had been known as Furious Friar. A delinquent. A troublemaker sometimes. Here, he was Mr. Perfect. And he liked being seen as a Prince Charming, even if he had to hide certain parts of himself. People weren't scared of him here, plus he'd made friends with some good, nice individuals.

Yes, Maya was technically his type, but he needed to play it safe. Besides, even if in some small fraction of a way he did happen to maybe sort of kind of possibly a little bit _like_ Maya, she'd never reciprocate any kind of interest.

She'd said so herself: Lucas wasn't her type.

He wondered if he would be her type if she knew the real him, the _Texas_ part of him he fought to staunch down until not even the dregs of that part were left. But maybe it was better that he kept it hidden. He didn't want a repeat of his old life. He'd made a new start in New York for a reason. He'd made a promise to his mom to fix his life, and he intended to stick to his decision, no matter what it took.

It was better to keep on playing it safe.


	73. Misconceptions

**A/N: Hi LucaY'all! I'm sorry, love; I can't write that request for personal reasons. (Also because I can't envision any version of Lucas ever being able to do that to Maya). Do you have another request you want instead? Also, I wouldn't worry about Lucaya. They're slow and steady and wrought with angst, but they're happening, no doubt about it.  
**

 **On queue:** **Various lovely people for Josh noticing Lucaya chemistry and interaction part III.** **  
**

 **Enjoy! Thanks for the sweet reviews! You all are so kindhearted and special to me and I can't thank you enough for your continued support and the love you have shown me. So thank you so much :)  
**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own GMW.**

* * *

 **Title: Misconceptions  
Pairings&Characters: Maya (slightly OOC?), Lucas (also slightly OOC?), Lucaya (on the cusp?), Smackle, Riley/Rucas (mentions), Yarby (mentions)**  
 **Genre: Angst (a lil), Drama (sort of), Friendship, Romance (eh.. kinda), Hurt/Comfort (hmm...), Humor (uh...), AU** **  
Rating: T for There Are Two Sides To Every Story  
Summary: She _loathed_ him. Just the thought of having to act with him made her skin crawl.  
**

 **Request by gmwLucayalover for Lucas and Maya being actors in a movie who have to film a romantic moment. I'm sorry about how weird it is, but writing people acting is kind of hard. Thank you for your request, love! :D**

 **A** **pologies in advance. I really know nothing about filmmaking or acting lol. (Except for acting a fool on a daily basis :3) Above the word count limit, but this can't function on it's own unless it's a multi, so it's staying in here.  
**

* * *

Maya let out a long sigh, walking through the muggy mansion the location manager had secured for filming and trying to keep herself from running her hand through her hair, a nervous habit that only manifested when she was unbelievably stressed. But Cindy had worked on her hair for a good hour to get it perfectly coiled for her scene and the last thing Maya wanted to do was ruin her hard work.

She entered the grand ballroom, decorated beyond belief and littered with lights, cameras, microphones, and countless people for the gala scene in the movie. The place must have cost a fortune to rent, especially since it was in upscale New Jersey.

"Done fixing your makeup?" Smackle asked, pushing her glasses up her nose as she walked up to Maya with her briefcase and clipboard.

"Yeah," Maya muttered, her eyes narrowing as they approached the bustling set, or as she liked to call it—doomsday.

"Good." Smackle checked her watch, nodding in satisfaction. "We have a good five minutes for you to get in character. Start now so that we don't have _Maya_ spilling into your acting again. I don't want any more delays because of you, got that?"

Maya rolled her eyes at Smackle's nagging. She'd been like this all morning since Maya had messed up on her scene a couple times. She'd been coming to set around dawn just about every day to film Deadliest Catch, a romantic thriller movie based on the No More Halcyon Nights young adult book series about a vigilante thief with ties to the mob, Kara Cox, whose burglary gets her caught up in a dangerous conspiracy and the vengeful detective trying to capture her, Trent Hunter, who no longer finds joy in life after a botched job on his part resulted in the death of his partner and fiancée.

The book had always been one of Maya's favourites in high school because it subverted typical gender roles in crime and thriller novels. Plus the sexual tension between the two main characters made every interaction between them electric and intense. The series was a real page turner for several people, still popular to this day. Maya had read the Kara Cox series when it came out when she was sixteen, but never had she imagined that ten years later, _she_ would be the actress to play her novel hero. She'd only been acting since the end of college, starting out as a lowkey Broadway actress for two years. After leaving to pursue television and film acting, most of her roles had only been small cameos and recurring roles in some primetime television shows. In her first semi-blockbuster, she'd been a secondary love interest, but this was her first time being a lead in a movie. Smackle predicted that if the movie did very well—and she believed it would—Maya would probably be looking at sequel movies for all the books, so at least three more guaranteed movies.

They'd shot a few of her solo scenes in the other location already, namely the opening scene of the film and a few backstory bits. But today was the first day that she had to shoot her first scenes _with_ her co-star, largely in part because they had to accommodate his busy schedule. And unfortunately, on the menu today was the dreaded, tacky kiss scene that she'd been hoping the director would cut out. Maya honestly wouldn't have cared about the kiss under normal circumstances and wouldn't have been having trouble with it at all. But the circumstances were far from normal.

She passed by the refreshments table, ignoring Smackle's reminder beside her of the interview and photoshoot for the magazine after filming. But her magazine interview was the farthest thing on her mind right now.

Why?

Because there he was… her unfortunate co-star and the current bane of her existence.

Lucas Friar.

Hollywood's current Golden Boy.

He'd started acting on television when he was a child before switching to films once he hit his teens, mostly playing the jerk sports player or heartthrob love interest in romcoms. But he'd evolved as years went on, expanding his roles to more than just the pretty boy and the type casting eventually stopped once people began to realize he actually had skills as an actor. He was adept at changing his persona for any movie, and strangely, it generally worked. Even the time he was cast as a comic book fanatic and nerd for a film. Just shy of twenty-seven, his immense talents as an actor were already widely acknowledged.

Though she hated to admit it, Lucas was a magnetic presence on screen, effortlessly drawing people's attention to him in his scenes. It was surprising since Maya herself had always seen him as a one dimensional kind of actor who could only look pretty on camera. But he was phenomenal. And as a suave, _single_ heartthrob in the public eye, their movie would no doubt generate a lot of revenue from fans who wanted to see him as the tortured soul, Trent Hunter.

She couldn't lie. He had been one of her biggest celebrity crushes before she'd become an actress herself, and she remembered how obsessed she had been with him in early college, but that was before she came to learn what type of person he was. A scoundrel, a cheat, a disgusting womanizer, and she hated his guts with everything she had. She used to be a fan of his until he'd broken Riley's heart. It was just her luck that she had to work with him as her love interest for her movie.

And the worst part was this was only the beginning. Soon, they would have to appear in interviews together and make public appearances to promote the movie. And provided that it did well—and it was projected to be very successful from pre-screening polls that had been taken—they would have to film the rest of the movies together which meant acting out the dreaded angry sex scene in the second book. Something which made a shudder of disgust run down her back at the thought. Sex scenes themselves were known to be awkward and anything but a turn on—Maya thankfully had yet to act one out—but she'd heard the horror stories of the balls on thighs and the nude patches and the fake orgasms and sex sounds and just the thought of that was enough to nearly make her break out into a cold sweat. Especially having to act out a sex scene with Lucas Friar of all people.

"And cut! Gate's clean, let's move on. We have lots to do today!"

The director, Darby's, voice drew her back into the present, and Maya focused her vision back on the set in front of her where Lucas let go of the man he been about to fight with in his scene. The set sprung to life, the prop master shifting some parts, cameramen recalibrating and repositioning for the next scene, lights readjusted, extras fixing their clothing, etc. It was humming with energy and vibrant, once again giving Maya that thrill she always felt when she was about to be in front of the camera.

One of the makeup artists came over with a towel and their kit to fix Lucas up as he made his way over to the side of the set where Maya stood with Smackle. Their eyes met and Maya glared at him, hoping he could feel the amount of sheer loathing she had for him.

"Maya's done with makeup, two minutes then we're starting," Darby called out, stepping off of her high chair behind a small screen and walking over to them in excitement, her trademark wide grin on her face. "Alright you two. Ready to make sparks fly on my camera?"

"Depends." Lucas snarked, returning Maya's withering glare with a look of disgust of his own. "Can Maya finally _act_ and stop looking at me like she wants to rip my balls off every time we film our scene?"

Smackle pushed her glasses up her nose, quickly responding before Maya got annoyed and bit back a retort. "She's had plenty of time to cool off from earlier, Mr. Friar. She'll be fine. Right, Maya?"

Smackle gave her a dangerous look out of the corner of her eye that spelled trouble if she didn't comply and Maya gave a noncommittal grunt in response just to get Smackle off her back. She'd been having trouble getting the vibe of the scene right because of Lucas' annoying presence to the point that Darby had switched two scenes to be filmed to give Maya a chance to work out her aggression and fix her character portrayal before they attempted the scene again.

"I hope so," Lucas muttered crossly, handing the towel back to the makeup artist as she finished touching his face up. "You're already screwing up all our schedules with your inconveniences. Do me a favour and stop weighing us all down with your inability to separate your personal feelings from your work."

She clenched her fists, annoyed from his rude comments, but refused to let his words get to her. He may have been right about the busy schedules, but she'd gotten it together and wasn't going to mess up anymore.

"I'm ready." Maya confirmed to Darby, ignoring his quip.

"Excellent! Alright, just as a reminder, this is the scene when we're at the Moretti mansion where Kara has been trying to escape the Don by waltzing through the dance floor. She gets near the door and then Trent shows up and foils her escape!" Darby exclaimed, her eyes wild with energy and hyperactivity tumbling off of her in waves. "Think about the _danger_ , think about the frustration, think about the attraction! Kara's trying to make her getaway, but Trent won't let her go, so she kisses him as a distraction, handcuffs him to another person, and then runs, the Don's men hot on her trail. Places everyone!"

Maya brushed past Lucas and headed to her spot amidst all the extras and other actors and actresses hired to fill the scene for the gala. She knew she was supposed to act _with_ Lucas for this scene and feed off of each other to make it work, but she wasn't in any particular mood to play nice, especially when he gave her a dirty look as he walked past her to his spot.

"Alright people! This was my favourite scene in the book, the first time they meet face to face, and I remember the butterflies I felt throughout the scene. Make me feel those butterflies again!" Darby called out as the lights were fully adjusted and cameramen settled themselves in their many positions. She hopped into her director's chair, watching the screen intently. "I need passion in this scene this time! I need raw heat and energy! Now let's see some deep kissing that'll make guys and girls squeal and write smutty fanfiction about you!"

Maya took a deep breath, standing in her starting position and trying to clear her mind to immerse herself in her character.

"Quiet on set! Roll cameras," Darby stated, pointing to one of the cameramen.

"Speed," he responded after a few seconds of watching the screen.

"Marker!" Darby called out, and the woman holding the clapboard snapped it in front of the screen. "Background action. Action, Lucas."

The extras began to waltz in their designated places, small chatter filling the room as the orchestra played the selected pieces. The set became an entirely new universe, a celebration in the midst of this room. The men playing some of the goons began to push past people around the perimeter of the dancers, snarling as they looked for Kara. Maya couldn't see where Lucas was standing, but she knew he was beginning his trek through the throng of people, looking for her as well.

"Annnd… _action_!"

Maya opened her eyes and started walking, breathing hard and glancing about with furrowed brows when she caught sight of the men who were looking to tail her. She glanced at the door, noting how far away it was and when she knew she couldn't reach there without getting caught, she slipped quickly into the mess of people in the middle of the ballroom floor. Maya made a fairly big show of ducking and weaving through people, bunching up the bottom of her dress and hiding behind some before she tried to make a clean break towards the door. But when one of the baddies moved and was in her line of sight and direct path, she sucked in a sharp breath and turned back around, letting go of her dress and joining the dancing couples so as not to arouse suspicion.

She walked up to the older couple near her, smiling charmingly.

"Excuse me? Sorry to bother you," she said, licking her lips nervously and pretending to be shy. "I've never really waltzed before. Do you mind possibly teaching me?"

"Of course not," the older man said and his partner smiled as she left the area. "It would be my pleasure."

"Thank you so much."

He took her hand gently and began to instruct her on the art of waltzing, and Maya smiled sweetly and nodded every once in a while, though she made certain her eyes held that hazy effect of a person not really listening and pretending to focus. As they moved, she led the pair of them closer towards the entrance of the ballroom.

"Ah, you're quite the lively dancer," he chortled. "Reminds me of my daughter. But remember. The man must lead."

"I'm sorry." Maya chuckled, looking embarrassed. "I keep doing that for some reason."

"Then maybe you need a new partner," Lucas interjected, suddenly appearing beside them, a grim look on his face. "Mind if I cut in?"

Maya bristled, tightening her hold on the old man's shoulder. "Actually, I'd rather not—"

"Thank you," Lucas said, taking her hand from her partner's anyway as he stepped in front of him.

Maya fought her urge to recoil in disgust when he snaked his arm around her waist, but she made sure to keep her facial expression carefully blank. The old man looked affronted, though he walked off with a frown as Lucas continued the easy waltz around the other extras.

"It's nice to finally put a face to the name," he remarked nonchalantly enough, though there was an edge to his tone.

"Not sure I'm following." She rose a brow, letting him guide her around the floor, though she chewed on her lower lip, eyeing the door warily as she was pulled away from it. "And who might you be?"

"Detective Hunter of the NYPD. I've been trying to find you for weeks."

"Ah… Detective Dumbass," she drawled, still not quite paying attention to him.

"There's nowhere to run now, Kara Cox," he grit out. "Time for you to pay for your crimes."

Maya bristled briefly, looking up at him in slight alarm, making sure trepidation passed through her expression before she fixed her face.

"You seem to have me mistaken." She smiled demurely, trying to feign innocence as her stage directions indicated. "I'm in a bit of a rush though so if you don't mind…"

"Don't play dumb." Lucas growled, tightening his hold on her when she tried to slip out of his grasp. "You've been robbing museums since last summer. And I know I can prove it."

"Look, I don't have time for these false accusations." Maya snapped, glancing around in agitation, pinpointing every single one of the men who were after her. One of them was looking at her and was watching them suspiciously, muttering something in his wristwatch. She swallowed, licking her lips again and turning back to Lucas with an angry glare. "Let me go or this place is going to turn into a battlefield, and trust me, you don't want that."

"Not gonna happen…"

"I mean it," Maya ground out slowly, curling her hand around his tie and yanking him forward until they were nearly face to face. "Let go of me, or I'm going to make you."

He stared down at her with a challenging look on his face, not saying a single word, and Maya felt herself subconsciously wanting to take a step back. The scene dictated closeness, but she found it uncomfortable. She hated Lucas' stupid attractive face.

"Hmmm… _Cut_!" Darby shouted. Everybody stopped moving, turning to their director and trying to glean what had her disappointed with the scene. Maya herself was definitely surprised by the sudden end to it. She'd thought they'd done the scene well enough. "No, no, no! It's all wrong. You guys are _enemies_ , but you're not enemies, enemies, ya know? Like, be enemies, but don't be enemies!"

One of the cameramen gave Darby a weird look. "That's vague as fuck, Walker. What the hell are you even talking about?"

"Hush you! Maya, your glare is too strong. You look scary, and you look like you want to strangle Lucas, and that's not the tone of the scene. And Lucas, you're frustrated with her, but you're not actually mad. Think of it in terms of seduction. You have to sell that you've seduced his character." She snapped her fingers. "From third positions when Lucas comes in."

They walked back to their places, and Maya sighed under her breath. She had been so certain she'd gotten the scene down exactly the way it called for. She reached the old man and they resumed their position for the waltz.

"Background action," Darby called out, and the extras began to move. "And… we're rolling!"

"Ah, you're quite the lively dancer," the old man chuckled softly, a kind smile on his lips as Maya started moving him towards the door. "Reminds me of my daughter. But remember. The man must lead."

"I'm sorry." Maya laughed nervously, looking embarrassed. "I keep doing that for some reason."

"Then maybe you need a new partner," Lucas said, suddenly appearing beside them with a suspicious glare on his features. "Mind if I cut in?"

He'd addressed the question to them both, yet he was staring at Maya with thinly veiled disdain. She briefly wondered if he was actually acting or if he was using the excuse of their characters' current status to give her dirty looks.

Maya eyed him from the side, tightening her grip on the old man's shoulder. "Actually, I'd rather not—"

"Thank you," Lucas cut her off, grabbing her hand from her partner's and taking over without another word.

Her eyes narrowed as they waltzed quietly around the room. She eyed the doors in annoyance as he guided them away from her escape route.

"It's nice to finally put a face to the name," he remarked nonchalantly enough, though there was an edge to his tone.

"Not sure I'm following." She rose a brow. "And who might you be?"

"Detective Hunter of the NYPD," Lucas said. "I've been trying to find you for weeks."

"Ah… Detective Dumbass," she drawled, subtly looking around to take note of where the men tailing her were.

"There's nowhere to run now, Kara Cox," he growled lowly. "Time for you to pay for your crimes."

Maya clenched her jaw, inhaling a bit sharply in surprise before she made her expression neutral.

"You seem to have me mistaken." She smiled, feigning innocence. "I'm in a bit of a rush though so if you don't mind…"

"Don't play dumb." Lucas grit out. "You've been robbing museums since last summer. And I know I can prove it."

Lucas wrapped his arm around her waist tighter when she tried to pull herself out of his grasp. She had been trying to keep a blank expression, but when she felt his fingers skimming across her lower back, Maya's face twisted in disgust as a chill ran down her back. She stiffened almost involuntarily, jolting a bit, and had to take a quick step back when she nearly stumbled on the back of her dress. Her reaction surprised Lucas, and he let go of her slightly to accommodate for the sudden loss of balance. His brows furrowed in confusion before he could rectify his expression, but by that point, they'd both missed the next cue and Maya knew the scene had gotten screwed up again.

"Cut!" Darby barked, standing up from her chair and storming over to them both. A path was cleared for her immediately, especially because of the look of displeasure on her face. "What happened? You both were doing fine and then it became a _trainwreck_."

"Why do you keep cringing every time I touch you?" Lucas asked, giving her an incredulous look as he released her from his arms. "I can feel you tensing the entire scene."

"It's unexpected, is all…" Maya muttered, scratching at her arm, goosebumps on her lower back from the soft contact he'd made. "Why do you keep switching your movements randomly?"

"It's called _improvising_ , you amateur," he spat sharply, giving her a look like she was an absolute moron. "Adding little things that people naturally do in real life in situations will make the scene look more organic. What did you expect? That I stand there like a cardboard cutout?"

"I wasn't ready for it."

For the disgusting feeling of his fingers dragging on her lower back, that is.

"Everyone except Maya, go back to third position." Darby ran a hand through her hair. "Let's try this one more time."

Lucas turned around with an exasperated sigh as he headed back to his spot for the scene. Maya desperately wanted a drink. This was not her day at all.

"So what's up?" Darby asked her, her hands on her hips and a concerned look on her face. "You haven't had this much trouble with any of the other scenes before. So why now?"

Maya scratched the back of her head. "Sorry. I just… I can't imagine trying to seduce Lucas."

She patted Maya's shoulder consolingly. "I hear ya. Trying to act normally opposite someone so attractive is rough. When I used to act with my Yogi bear, I had so much trouble keeping my blush down. And then your heart beats all fast and you can't look them in the eye anymore. The struggle is real."

Maya had to force herself from gagging, disgusted by the sheer notion that Darby thought she was attracted to that pig asshole Friar in the least. That wasn't the case whatsoever, but she didn't want to have to explain the true reason behind her difficulties to Darby.

"But you need to remember that you're not seducing _Lucas_ as _Maya_. You're seducing _Trent_ as _Kara_ and I need you to put aside your internal thoughts, become your character and react how she would, and act it out without looking like you're about to destroy him."

"Alright. I'll get it together."

"That's what I like to hear." Darby grinned, giving Maya's shoulder a soft squeeze. "Do you know why I wanted you to be my lead, despite people saying you don't have enough experience? It's because you have this innate ability to match your acting chemistry with whomever you're playing alongside. The way you act is so dynamic that you have chemistry with every actor. I _know_ you can do the same with Lucas. I believe in you. And I know we casted perfectly. You two were made to play these roles. I need you to sell Kara and Trent's relationship. Can you do that for me?"

Maya let out a long breath. "I'll try."

And she really did well to concentrate hard to maintain her character and her character's expressions. She did so well in that aspect and trying to create some type of connection with Lucas' character that she accidentally forgot one of her lines.

"Cut, cut! That was your cue, Maya."

"Sorry," Maya apologized, taking a step back from Lucas and staring at her shoes. The more times that she messed up on the scene, the more confidence she lost over her capabilities. She'd been so sure that she could get it right this time. "I forgot my line."

"Well…" Darby sighed, checking her watch. "That much was obvious, though I think the rest of the scene was pretty good up until that point."

"Urgh… If it's not one problem, it's a whole other." Lucas growled, rolling his eyes to the sky in irritation. "We're gonna be here for hours just because you can't get this damn scene right. Can you please take this seriously?"

She snapped her gaze up, her lip curled in disgust. "I am taking it seriously, you jackass!"

"Really? Could've fooled me with all the fuck ups you've had. This isn't even a hard scene," he scoffed, sneering at her. "What's your deal?"

"Shut up. So I made a couple mistakes, so what? I'll fix it."

"Just fixing it isn't good enough," he asserted brusquely. "You keep saying you will but nothing has changed since this morning. You're wasting all of our time."

They'd been so busy arguing that she didn't even realize that Darby, Smackle, and a few other people in the crew had walked up to them, wary expressions on their faces from the growing spat.

"This is no good." Darby groaned, pinching the bridge of her nose. "Look you two, I knew it the minute I saw you both that you could have _electric_ chemistry together. I'm not really feeling this dynamic though because you keep arguing. What the hell is going on?"

"I think it's pretty obvious," Lucas responded, eyeing Maya in disgust. "She's not qualified to act in this movie."

Maya turned slowly to Lucas, her fists clenched. She was going to slug him. To hell with Smackle's warnings that morning.

"Can we take five please?" Smackle quickly interjected, squeezing herself in between Lucas and Maya and easily recognizing Maya's murderous mood. "I think Maya needs a little talk."

Before Maya could protest or Darby could respond for that matter, Smackle took hold of her ear. Maya yelped as she was dragged away from the main part of the ballroom and closer to a corner away from prying ears.

"Ow, what the hell?" Maya rubbed her assaulted ear, giving Smackle a look like she'd lost her mind.

"Maya, what's with you? Stop blowing up your chances!"

"Smackle, I can't work with this guy!" she exclaimed, gesturing towards him. "He's screwing up my vibes."

"And why the hell not, you imbecile?"

"Because he's my best friend's ex!" An unfortunate short-lived relationship that left Riley devastated and Maya livid. "And I hate his guts."

"Are you delusional?" Smackle pushed her glasses up, staring up at Maya like she had screws loose. "Lucas Friar has been single since The Dinosaur Age. There's never been any mention of him with your friend."

Maya gave her a look. She'd forgotten how annoying Smackle could be sometimes with her 'if I don't see it, it doesn't exist' mindset.

"That's because Riley wanted to keep her life private since she'd just started law school. She didn't want the press bugging her or people thinking she only got there because of her connection to a famous person. They were dating in secret and she thought they were in love, until he broke her heart when he cheated on her with one of his co-stars." It still made Maya's blood boil just thinking about it. "He wanted to move on to bigger and better things in his career and ditched her like some used tissue."

To be honest, Maya hadn't even known they'd been together at all until near Christmas three years ago when Riley revealed they had been dating. Maya had known Riley was in a relationship based on the amount of time she wasn't available—just not who her partner was—but when Lucas had suddenly shown up to Philadelphia and Riley had told her about the end to their six month romance, Maya had been utterly shocked. She'd told Maya that she wanted to keep it a secret from their friends to respect Lucas' privacy as a popular actor and hers as his girlfriend.

"Well isn't that what you did?" Smackle finally responded after giving her confession some careful thought. "You said no to Josh's proposal because you wanted to better your career without being tied down. How is that any different? The cheating was just wrong, but you can't fault him for wanting to expand his career."

Maya winced at the reminder of her wrecked relationship with her longtime boyfriend. The truth was, Josh wanted her to quit acting and move to Philadelphia with him to live a quiet life and she hadn't been ready to give up her entire life for him. Maya loved Josh, but he hadn't been willing to compromise, and she hadn't been willing to throw away the career she'd just started building, and it all culminated in a breakup that Maya still hadn't gotten over two years later.

"We're not talking about that right now. Besides, those circumstances are clearly not the same." Maya argued.

"Listen to me, you idiot," Smackle muttered darkly, a glint on her glasses that made her expression look utterly frightening. "You are a relatively new actress who is up and coming in the acting world. Working with such a big name and popular actor will get you the exposure you need to advance your career."

"He's a jackass, Smackle."

"So? You make my life living hell with your temper," Smackle countered. "I don't give a flying F-U-C-K if he's a jerk. You're here to do your job and _act_. You don't have to be his best friend. You don't even have to date or marry the dude. Just pretend like you're the gosh darn protagonist in the book and fall for him on screen."

Maya slumped back against the wall, irritated with the situation. She knew she was being difficult for no reason, but this was seriously bugging her having to work with the guy who made her best friend cry for nights. Riley hadn't even been cheerful on Christmas, and that was her favourite holiday. If she had known Lucas would end up being her co-star well before they'd signed the contract, Maya would have quit immediately. She didn't care if it was work. Her loyalties to Riley were more important and being anywhere near him was a fuck no in her books.

"Let me tell you something. You're not relevant, okay?" Smackle said matter of factly.

Maya rose a brow, giving her an offended look. "You know… this a great pep talk you've got going on."

"Right now, you're relatable because you're still this fresh faced, new actress, down-to-Earth Maya. Just a regular girl from New York City who got a lucky break from little acting experience. Reppin' it for all the other regular girls out there." Smackle pointed out, ignoring Maya. "But that's only going to cut it for another year or two before you become just another celebrity in their eyes. In a year, regular people won't relate to you anymore, and you'll lose that fresh, newbie edge. You need something to make them stick with you after their initial curiosity is gone. Since you refuse to do crazy publicity stunts or have a fake high profile relationship, that something is a chunk of movies with Lucas Friar. This is an opportunity. _Don't_ wreck it."

Maya nodded, knowing Smackle had a real point. She hated getting scolded by her manager, but maybe this was just what she needed to get her ass in gear.

"If you still are feeling weird about acting with him, think about it this way: you're getting revenge on your friend by using him as a stepping stone to absolute stardom. He's just a means to an end." The glare on Smackle's glasses from the light became more pronounced, highlighting her eyes in a way that made them look almost sinister. "Because you do well on these movies with him? Trust me, unlimited doors will open for you. So use him to your advantage. No harm, no foul, right?"

As much as Maya hated the fact that this had to happen, she knew Smackle was right. She was harsh and tough and had no empathy for Maya, but that's why she was one of the best managers in the biz after all. Lucas, despite making her want to hurl, was easily one of the best actors of their generation, unbelievably talented and very expressive, especially with his eyes. This was a huge opportunity to make some headway in the acting business.

"Maya. I'm still your manager despite all your many, many flaws because I foresee a great career in your future, but only if you stop letting your beef with other actors get in the way. Stop messing this up for yourself and go out there and do your job."

"Fine."

Maya started to straighten, rolling her shoulder to loosen it up to prepare for the scene, but then Smackle grabbed her arm, the look in her eyes almost dangerous. Her nails were nearly sinking into Maya's skin and she stared at her manager in rapt attention, knowing she wasn't playing games anymore.

"We're not going to have another Crisis are we?"

Crisis had been a huge movie in which she'd gotten a small side role in. The lead actor had been staying in character the entire time they were filming and had slapped her on the ass as a joke. Maya decked him so hard she cracked his jaw. Thankfully, his agent hadn't decided to press charges for assault, but Maya had gotten kicked off the movie after the incident. She didn't care. Harassment was harassment to her, but the incident _had_ blacklisted her from any films with that particular director and some of his associates, she suspected. Smackle had been furious with her until word of the incident and her gutsy attitude had gotten her a short term gig as a troubled rebellious youth in a crime show. But she would have to work hard to one day beat that incident from her acting resume.

"I promise it won't come to that."

Provided that Lucas didn't piss her off enough that is.

"Good. Then let's go."

They headed back over to the section of the ballroom being filmed, and Maya was surprised to find the extras lounging around. Lucas was standing next to Darby behind the screen, watching something intently. When Darby made eye contact with Maya, she crooked her finger at her, beckoning for her to come over. Maya walked over to the cluster of people watching the screen, standing on the other side of the director's chair and feeling like she was a naughty kid who had just gotten caught stealing cookies from the cookie jar.

"What's up?"

"I thought the rest of the scene was going to work, but I don't think so anymore. This is no good…" Darby glanced at her. "Maya, you're bringing down the scene."

It was a shock to hear such a blunt statement. Maya was used to some degree of praise in her work. It'd been a long time since she'd received a totally disappointed remark.

"You're a relatively new actress, so you kind of have an excuse, but if you don't learn to keep your personal feelings out of your expression, your scenes with Lucas won't have the right impact." She gestured to one of the production assistants beside her. "Can I have a playback please? Maya, pay attention especially to yourself."

Maya watched the filmed portion of the scene being played carefully, pinpointing herself and following her movements and line delivery. She could see what Darby meant. It wasn't that she was doing badly, but even she could tell that there was an undertone of _something_ that brought down the scene instead of giving it an edge in all the right places. And it _was_ her fault. She wasn't stiff nor did she particularly wreck the scene. If anything, she was fluid and it came naturally. The problem was when she interacted with Lucas. Even from a mile away, she could see the awkward tensions between them.

"You see, Maya? You're doing fine, but not great. At least, not compared to all the other scenes we've filmed with you. There's something about the way you're delivering your lines that's wrecking the juicy dynamic Trent and Kara are supposed to have this scene. Instead of hot sexual tension, we're getting this awkwardness that's turning the scene into something else. You and Lucas need to fix this. I don't know what the deal is between you two, but whatever issues you both have with each other, I'd like that taken care of ASAP."

Maya could feel Smackle's death glare hot on the back of her neck and swallowed nervously, keeping her gaze off of her furious manager. She knew she was going to get the chewing out of a lifetime the minute that Smackle got a moment alone with her for getting called out by the director. And Smackle wasn't one to pull her punches when she was pissed off.

"I'm loving the _tension_ , but it doesn't feel authentic because the chemistry is negative instead of positive. You've got ten minutes to talk in private and get it together. Otherwise, I'm going to have to cancel this scene for today and I'll have you two practice it in a locked room until you get it right."

Fear crawled down Maya's back. She'd heard of actors or actresses getting forced to practice for hours for screwing the filming of a scene up. This was her big chance and the role of a lifetime to get herself on the radar. She didn't want people to think that she couldn't handle a big role since she was fairly new. Maya had to prove herself as capable, and right now, she knew she wasn't impressing very many people. She didn't want anyone to think they'd made the wrong choice for a lead actress.

"So go take care of it." Darby ordered. "I want this worked out now."

"Understood…" Maya sighed, walking away from the ballroom and seriously feeling like she was starting to get a headache.

Lucas followed her and they passed through a corridor in the house to the patio near the refreshment tables for the crew. She plopped down on one of the plush chairs overlooking the pristine pool in the backyard. Lucas didn't sit, his arms crossed in front of his chest and an eyebrow raised as he stared her down in annoyance.

"Are you just gonna stand there or…?"

"What the hell is your problem with me?" he asked. "We've never even met prior to filming so forgive me for having a little trouble understanding why you seem to hate my guts."

Maya's eyes narrowed. "We have met."

Not so much _met_ as encountered by chance, but it was basically the same thing.

"I think I would remember meeting someone like _you_." Lucas snorted, leaning against the corner of the table and eyeing her in distaste. "Difficult, stubborn, childish. The worst kind of actress there is."

If he was trying to pick a fight, he was doing a damn good job because Maya could already feel that itch in the back of her throat to retort with a scathing remark. But Darby had told them to work it out, and that wasn't going to happen if they got into another row.

"I'm Riley's best friend."

"Riley Matthews?" A look of irritation briefly crossed his features. "I never met any of her friends. She wanted to keep our relationship entirely private, so she never introduced—"

"December. Three years ago. The day you stopped by her grandparents' place in Philadelphia. Does that ring any bells?"

Lucas contemplated her silently for a handful of seconds, searching her face before his brows lifted in recognition. Maya could literally see cogs turning in his head as he put the pieces together of the puzzle.

"The girl with the short blonde hair?"

An unfortunate experiment trying to ombré her hair that had gone so wrong. Maya had to cut her hair and wore it short, but the new look had given her an edge in an audition for blondes and she'd been able to make her debut at a recurring role on a soap opera.

"You're the bitch who sprayed me with a garden hose!" Lucas near shouted, looking absolutely pissed. "Thanks to you, I lost an hour having to get a change of clothes."

"Serves you right!"

"In what world is it okay to spray people you don't even know with a garden hose?! Are you nuts? I owe you big time for that!"

"It was within reason! You hurt Riley when you broke up with her. That in my books merits water hosing to the face!"

Lucas' mouth snapped shut, a bewildered look appearing on his face as he stared at her. He looked genuinely confused and for a second, Maya wondered if he honestly had no idea what she was talking about.

"What the hell are you talking about? I didn't break up with Riley."

"Yes, you did. After filming in New Zealand, you came back in December and ended the—"

"Whoa, whoa, whoa. Stop. You're wrong," he repeated, sitting in the chair across from her to get her to listen. "First of all, _she_ broke up with _me_."

"What?"

"And second of all," he continued, "we broke up in February that year, right after Valentine's Day. We hadn't been together for almost a year. If you're talking about the time you so rudely drenched me for no damn reason, I came to pick up the stuff that Riley said she would give back to me. But I had been busy filming all that time and couldn't find time to get it back. So she told me to stop by Philadelphia on my way to New York. Not only did I never get back my stuff, but I also got sprayed by a hose in the driveway by some crazy blonde who kept threatening to snap me like a twig."

Maya wanted to say that she still didn't believe him, but there was an earnestness in his expression and something about the look in his eyes that told her what he was saying was completely true. But she also distinctly remembered how genuine Riley had also been in her pain. Maya firmly believed what Riley had told her was also the truth. But she couldn't deny that Lucas was making an honest case for himself.

"…I'm confused." Maya muttered.

"She said she couldn't handle being in a relationship with someone who had to act out romantic relationships with other women. It made her uncomfortable. So she wanted to end things."

"But it's just acting."

"I know, Maya. Actors get it because we're trained to leave emotions out of our work. But she didn't get it. And it only got worse," he explained, looking out at the distance as he reminisced. "She got really jealous when I had to stay in New Zealand to film a movie with Missy Bradford. I told Riley there were some adult scenes but it wouldn't mean anything, and it was the farthest thing from a turn on. She acted like she was okay with it, but when I got back, she started questioning whether I really loved her or I was putting on an act with her too."

Maya frowned. That actually sounded a lot like the kind of insecurity Riley would have.

"And then she kept bringing up every love scene I've ever had to do and all the other women I kissed for movies. And then she stopped letting me kiss _her_ , saying that I was tainted by other women's lips and other crap like that. I tried to make it work, but it ruined our relationship, Maya. She couldn't have faith in me for some reason. She couldn't trust that I was capable enough to separate personal from professional feelings. And in the end, she dumped me."

"I didn't know…"

Why hadn't Riley mentioned the full story to her at all?

"Let me guess? She told you I broke her heart and cheated on her with one of my co-stars, right?" Lucas rose a brow. Maya nodded. "It's what she honestly believed, no matter how many times I tried to tell her it wasn't true."

"Well cut her some slack. Riley wears her heart on her sleeve and when she gets hurt, it hits hard. Maybe it was hard for her to accept what you were saying because just knowing that you had these scenes with other women was making her nervous. I'm sure you're aware of the insecurities she has."

Maya could understand why Riley had gotten so uneasy. Lucas, in the eyes of a lot of people, was a catch so she could see why Riley didn't want to lose him to someone else he worked with. There were a ton of stories out there of celebrities who ended up falling for each other on set circulating in the media. And worse: celebrities who hooked up with their co-stars while filming despite already being in relationships.

"Even so," Lucas countered, "there was nothing I could do about that. I told her what to expect, and I can't just stop acting because she couldn't handle what I do for a living. It's something I was hoping she would get used to."

Maya stared out at the horizon with a sigh, his words striking a chord with her. She knew all too well what it was like for a relationship to crumble because of the demands of their careers.

"You know, I'm kind of offended." Lucas said to her, and she glanced at him, waiting for him to clarify. "You only knew one side of the story, yet you took her word for it and thought I would cheat on Riley?"

"I mean, she's my best friend and I obviously didn't know what kind of person you were. If she tells me someone cheated on her, I'll support her no matter what."

"But c'mon. What kind of person would ever be able to cheat on Riley?" he said incredulously. "It's physically impossible. That's like kicking a puppy."

"Give me a break, would ya?" Maya leaned back in the comfortable patio chair, picking her fingernails and feeling a little guilty. This whole time, she'd fashioned him a straight up asshole, but he wasn't really. "I trust Riley. She doesn't lie to me."

"Really?" His eyes narrowed. "Because it seems to me that she _did_ lie to you and everyone who she told about our relationship and how it ended."

"She didn't _lie_." Maya shot back. "Riley's not vindictive like that. She probably honestly believed that was what happened. In her defense, she's the type of person who can't let go of things once they get in her mind. And sure, it might cloud her judgement, but that's just the way she is."

"Either way, the damage was done, and I never even got a chance to clear my name. Her mom gave me a black eye, you know? Thankfully I wasn't filming anything at the time but—"

"An actor's face is his life," Maya sighed.

Lucas nodded, looking nonplussed as he thought about the incident. "Right."

Looking at him, she actually felt bad over the whole situation. It had just been a misunderstanding, but he'd gotten the worst deal out of it all. And above that, Maya had been completely wrong. So completely wrong and she'd treated him like crap over a misunderstanding. She felt horrible about it.

"What if I talked to Riley?" Maya suggested. "Tried to fix it? I'm sure if she heard it from me, she would believe it."

He shook his head. "Wouldn't make a difference. I've moved on since that fiasco of a relationship. Taught me a lesson. From now on, I think it's better if I just date someone who understands the rigors and demands of being in the movie business."

Maya nodded, agreeing wholeheartedly. Some people could make a relationship with a celebrity work, but both parties had to be understanding and totally on board, otherwise the relationship would crumble. She could attest to that with the way she and Josh hadn't been able to connect anymore after she started to get more roles.

"Lucas. If you didn't know why I was so mad at you and you didn't realize who I was," she asked in confusion, "why were you being a jerk to me all afternoon?"

He scratched the back of his head, looking a little sheepish. "To be honest, I was kind of just reacting to your anger. But I also was pretty annoyed with how you kept messing up the scene."

All because of her personal issues.

"I'm s—"

"We can worry about apologies later." Lucas stood up with a smile. "Let's just go get this scene done. We don't have much time left."

"You're right." Way too much time had already been spent since the day started having to do and redo this scene. It was about time she got her shit together.

"So… are we good, Maya?" he asked, reaching out his hand in a peace offering.

Maya nodded as she stood up as well, clasping her hand in his and shaking it. "We're good."

They headed back through the house and made their way over to the ballroom. There must have been some visible change in their dynamic because Darby squealed in excitement.

"Yes! Positive chemistry! I can feel it! Places people! First position! We're gonna do this in one take!"

Maya definitely felt more at ease as she headed over to her starting point for the scene. The heavy weight of her frustration with Lucas had almost entirely dissipated, and though she still felt bad for the way she'd treated him—now and back then—now that she knew the truth, she knew it wasn't going to affect her acting anymore.

"Alright! Let's have some good old sexual tension, okay?" Darby called out once everyone was in place. "Quiet on set! Roll cameras."

Maya took a deep breath, letting it out slowly and closing her eyes to settle into her character.

"Speed," the cameraman confirmed.

"Marker." The clapboard was snapped in front of the camera. "Action, background. Action, Lucas."

Once again, the entire ballroom sprang to life, everyone bustling around and carrying out their duties in this scene. Maya opened her eyes, her pulse quickening. This was do or die. Messing up wasn't acceptable. She'd made enough mistakes for one day.

"And… _action_!"

She carried out her stage directions, playing the part of the frantic escapee well, being careful to make sure she was rushing, but kept a calm and cool exterior. At the cue of one of the men blocking her direct pathway, Maya spun around, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear as she approached an old couple with a bashful smile.

"Excuse me? Sorry to bother you," she apologized, chewing on her lower lip nervously. "I've never really waltzed before. Do you mind possibly teaching me?"

"Of course not," the older man said and his partner smiled as she left. "It would be my pleasure."

"Thank you so much." Maya thanked him gratefully as he guided her through the steps of the simple waltz.

She smiled every now and then, pretending to listen to his crooning while she subtly glanced around, checking for the enemies she was supposed to be keeping track of. Maya guided them through the people, slowly leading them towards the entrance so she could try to make her getaway disguised as one of the celebrators.

"Ah, you're quite the lively dancer," he remarked, chuckling to himself. "Reminds me of my daughter. But remember. The man must lead."

"I'm sorry." Maya laughed a bit, pretending to be anxious. "I keep doing that for some reason."

"Then maybe you need a new partner." Lucas suddenly appeared beside them, a dark expression on his face as he trained his gaze on Maya. "Mind if I cut in?"

Maya momentarily bristled when she glanced at him, turning her gaze back to her partner and intending to ignore him.

"Actually, I'd rather not—"

"Thank you," Lucas cut her off, taking her hand from her partner's anyway.

Maya smiled tightly, giving the old man an apologetic look when Lucas wrapped an arm around her waist, continuing the easy waltz in the ballroom. She eyed her exit pathway in annoyance as she was pulled away from it.

"It's nice to finally put a face to the name," he commented, sounding like he was just making conversation, though there was an edge to his tone.

"Not sure I'm following," Maya said, raising a brow as she stifled a yawn. "And who might you be?"

"Detective Hunter of the NYPD. I've been trying to find you for weeks."

"Ah… Detective Dumbass," she murmured sarcastically, her gaze drifting through the outskirts of the crowd to find the men she was running from.

"There's nowhere to run now, _Kara_ _Cox_ ," Lucas ground out. "Time for you to pay for your crimes."

Maya stiffened, slowly lifting her gaze up to his as they continued their languid path around the floor. He said nothing, his expression darkening as he stared down at her.

"You seem to have me mistaken for someone else. It happens." Maya's lips curled up into a devious smirk, her response coy. "I'm in a bit of a rush though so if you don't mind…"

"Don't play dumb." Lucas growled, tightening his hold on her when she tried to pull out of his grasp. She grit her teeth, glaring up at him as she struggled against his hold. "You've been robbing museums since last summer. And I know I can prove it."

"Look, I don't have time for these false accusations." Maya spat sharply, glancing a bit frantically at one of the men who was closest to her getaway point. He was watching them suspiciously, muttering something to himself, a finger pressed to his ear. She swallowed anxiously, licking her lips and turning back to Lucas. "Let me go or this place is going to turn into a battlefield, and trust me, you don't want that."

"Not gonna happen," he said staunchly, a challenging look in his eyes.

"I mean it," Maya muttered angrily, curling her hand around Lucas' suit's tie and yanking him forward until they were nearly face to face. They stopped moving, glowering at each other. "Let go of me… or I'm going to make you."

He didn't respond, only raising a brow smugly as he waited to see what she would do. Out of the corner of her eye, she could see one of the men pushing past several other people to get to her. Maya exhaled slowly, looking around again at the quickly approaching men around her.

"How exactly?" Lucas asked, his eyes dancing in amusement. "Humour me."

She brought her gaze back to his once again, her eyes locking with his as they stared each other down. A moment passed. A moment where Maya contemplated her choices, just as Kara would, before she looked at Lucas. Her eyes drifted down to his lips.

She tugged him forward by the tie, crushing her lips to his in a hard kiss. Lucas was completely still for a second, tensing, his hands loosening their grip on her. Then he exhaled, relaxing, and she was caught off guard when he shifted and kissed her back, matching her urgency with his own.

Maya felt flash of heat running down her back as his hands roamed down her sides to her waist, dragging her closer to him. She barely registered the fact that she had snaked her arms inside his suit jacket, stealing the handcuff prop and keys. Her eyes closed of their own volition, and she fisted his shirt, letting him take control, his kiss so intoxicating that it almost rendered her dizzy.

Maya broke it abruptly, panting a little for air and fighting off her blush. She stared up at Lucas in a slight daze, thrown off by the heat in his gaze. That hadn't been a fake kiss just then. It was _real_. Maya had definitely felt that it was real. And the scariest part was that she hadn't thought about her reaction to it. She had just responded normally and kissed him back. She licked her lips slowly, searching his eyes for some kind of answer, but they revealed nothing. She could still feel his breath on her lips and being this close in proximity to him made her heart momentarily skip a beat.

On autopilot, Maya reached over to the woman beside them and clicked the handcuffs around her wrist and then Lucas'.

"I warned you, Detective Dumbass," Maya murmured against his lips, dangling the keys to his handcuffs beside them.

"And cut! That's scene!"

Maya blinked, clearing her throat and breaking eye contact as she was drawn back into present day. She looked around at the people around them, forgetting that she had been in the middle of filming something. Lucas had managed to distract her so much that her mind had gone a bit blank.

"Good job," Lucas said, nearly speaking directly in her ear and when Maya looked back at him, she realized they were still close, practically pressed up against each other fully.

"You too," she replied, taking a step back, out of his arms and straightening up her dress.

"Now that's what I'm talking about with the chemistry! That kiss looked so real and intense!" Darby shouted over the clamour. Maya was pretty sure it _was_ real. If not, she definitely wouldn't have accidentally broken character for that short spell of time from the surprise of it all. "I don't think we even need more than one take after that. It's too good to not to use it."

Maya glanced at Lucas suspiciously as they made their way out of the cluster of people chattering with each other. Why had he done that?

"Alright everyone." A production assistant called out, reading from a clipboard. "Two hours for lunch, then we're meeting back here for part two of today's filming schedule to continue the escape scene. Dismissed."

"Good work, Maya," Smackle said in satisfaction, stopping Maya before she could ask Lucas what she wanted to. "See what happens when you stop messing around and get serious? Now hurry up and get to your dressing room to change out of costume. We have an interview for a lifestyle magazine in thirty minutes."

Smackle started to walk off, but Maya didn't follow her, glancing back at Lucas who was heading in the opposite direction. Smackle stopped, turning around and glaring at Maya over the rim of her glasses.

"Well? What are you waiting for? Chop, chop. We don't have time to waste!"

"Wait, I need to go ask Lucas something." And apologize. Her conscience wouldn't be fully cleared until she did.

"Is it absolutely necessary?"

"It'll only take me two minutes, Smackle. Just wait here."

"Fine. Two minutes _only_."

Maya knew that meant exactly two minutes before Smackle would raise hell and hurried over to him.

"Hey. Lucas," Maya said. He straightened from picking up his bag, giving her his attention. "I'm sorry about spraying you with a hose. And, I'm sorry about being childish earlier. I shouldn't have—"

"It's fine. It honestly doesn't even matter, though I do appreciate the apology." He smiled. "In the end, we got the scene down, didn't we?"

"Yeah." Maya couldn't help but smile back at his response.

He was a lot nicer than she had previously assumed. And his smile was kind of cute now that she thought about it.

"My manager wasn't kidding when he told me you're a pretty good actress. Well, once we got past your 'I want to strangle you' phase."

"Thank you," she replied sassily, deciding to ignore the rest of his comment.

"One minute Maya!" Smackle shouted over the din.

She rolled her eyes. "Quick question. Just now, when we did the scene. You kissed me for real, didn't you?"

There were methods most actors used in scenes to mimic kissing without actually kissing—it was mostly a lot of lip and jaw movement, since trying to use real kisses usually didn't look real or clean enough. She had started it with the intention of mimicking a kiss without really doing it, but Lucas had blown up her plans monumentally and turned it into a real one.

He stared at her for a second, a calculating look on his face. "So you did notice."

"So… why did you…?"

"Improvising." He shrugged, a little smirk on his face. "It would have looked a lot more natural than that fakeout makeout stuff. Good job acting out a real response, by the way. I thought that was pretty impressive."

Except her reaction hadn't been her _acting_. She'd naturally responded that way unconsciously.

"Did it bother you?"

It had, but not in an uncomfortable way. Mostly her immediate reaction to it was what bothered her.

"No…"

"That's good to know." Lucas smiled, slinging his bag over his shoulder. "Now if you'll excuse me, I have to go wake up that lazy ass manager of mine. See you later."

"Yeah, bye."

Maya watched him leave before she headed back towards Smackle, who was looking at her watch and counting down the seconds Maya had left. Maya was more than surprised at what she had come to learn about him today. Lucas Friar wasn't as bad as she'd always thought he was. He did seem like a potentially challenging person, but now that the air was cleared between them, she kind of felt like working with him could be a fun experience.

Only time would tell, she supposed.


	74. Intervention

**A/N: I really would prefer no spoilers of GMW season 3 please :) I'm not watching any episodes until the season is (mostly) over so I can binge watch it, and I'd love for some of the biggest twists and angst-y things to be a surprise. Please take caution not to put spoilers in your reviews without a huge ass SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER warning. That being said, it's not a big deal if you accidentally spoil, but some requests have been related to recent episodes, and I just want to let you lovelies know I won't be able to write those particular ones for a while since I won't have watched the episode or seem the spoilers of those scenes.  
**

 **But as always, I've always had unwavering faith in Lucaya, and I always will. That's something you can count on. Promise.**

 **(Lol now I kind of want to turn Misconceptions into a real fic. Oh no).**

 **On queue:** **Zay is a master of turmoil.** **  
**

 **Enjoy! Thank you so much for the lovely reviews! You all are super kind and I appreciate the love you give me. Your requests are all so wonderful and they give me such life to think about ways to spin them! I don't deserve such sweet people in my life and it's heartwarming to know there are such beautiful, wonderful people like you around that I can talk to! Thanks so much and I loves youuuuuu :D  
**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own GMW.**

* * *

 **Title: Intervention  
Pairings&Characters: Josh, Maya, Lucas, Joshaya (friendship), Lucaya, Zaley (if you squint)**  
 **Genre: Friendship, Romance,** **Fluff/WAFF, Angst, Drama,** **Hurt/Comfort, Humor (?), IDK, AU** **  
Rating: Low T/K+ for Knocking Some Sense Into Two Stubborn People  
Summary: Josh is convinced it's his job to get Lucas and Maya together.  
**

 **Direct continuation of Speculation [24] and Observation [48]. (Part 3/3 of Josh noticing Lucaya chemistry and interaction)**

 **Request by** ** **notasbigajerkasicould'vebeen, wawawawa12, juiceboxxes, xTwinkleLightsx, LucaY'all, and numerous Guests for final part of Josh observation of Lucaya chemistry. Sorry about taking so long! Thank you for the requests!** :D**

 **Request by Guest for a conversation between Josh and Lucas. Thank you for your request, love! :3**

 **Request by me because I'm trying another experiment to see who reads the requests. If you choose to review put hotdog at the end of the review lol. Thank you for your request! :]**

 **Request by guest for a scene similar to Lucas Scott's rain scene confession to Brooke in OTH. I had to watch it since I'm not familiar with the show, buuut I _loved_ the way it went so I refashioned it to fit Lucaya! Thanks for the request! :)  
**

* * *

Josh was pissed off.

Don't get him wrong, his life was _great_ at the moment. He'd studied abroad in Spain in the fall for his last year of college and came back planning to make the best of his final semester at NYU. He only needed a half semester's credits to graduate so he didn't have to take a full schedule (which meant lots of downtime); he'd gotten that internship at Topanga's law firm for next year which meant his gap year wasn't in vain; and his GPA was looking _beautiful_ for when he finally decided on law schools to apply to. He was well on his way to being set in life and after he took his LSATs, it would be straight cruising towards the finish line: his Poli Sci diploma.

But having not been on social media for quite a while, he was expecting there to be big changes when he returned—as in, big changes in the form of Lucas and Maya dating—only to be sorely disappointed to find out that neither had asked the other out. And he was even more flabbergasted to find out that the denial they were in was even worse than what he'd originally assumed. And not only were they both in denial, but they were also acting as if all that stuff in the summer hadn't happened. It was like they'd both taken a giant step back right when they were on the cusp of being in a relationship.

They were both single. They both had feelings for each other.

What was the problem?

Someone had to intervene because this was starting to wear Josh's patience thin. And Josh decided it would be him. His investigative skills were top notch. No doubt his meddling would be too. It was a Matthews trait, the meddling, and he was going to use it to the fullest of his abilities to get the two teens in denial together.

He refused to graduate from college before getting to see Maya and Lucas finally stop being idiots and figure out their relationship.

Joshua Matthews was going to get them together no matter what.

~.~.~

Josh did careful recon, asking their friends and poking around for information inconspicuously so it didn't look like he had an interest in Maya.

Maya apparently spent part of the winter break with Lucas in Texas, he'd heard. But despite all the billions of pictures Riley showed him that Zay had snuck of them riding horses, sitting by the lake, dancing at hoedowns, snuggling by the campfire—clearly smitten with each other—even he could tell quite vividly that they were both holding back.

There was a certain subconscious distance they were putting between themselves. It was almost as if they were holding each other at arm's length, too afraid to make any moves, but not willing to completely back away from the other.

Josh thought he had been the only one who noticed their relationship tug of war, but it was starting to seem like everyone knew about it, seeing as how they kept trying to give Lucas and Maya as many opportunities to be alone together as possible. Yet nobody was trying to push either of them to make a move. Josh could tell they probably thought that it was necessary for the two of them to have their space, but Josh knew better. They were the type that had to be given a big push in the right direction or they would never progress in their relationship. While he had no doubt they were aware of their feelings, they would never make any moves because their own doubts were holding them back.

Maya was as stubborn as they came. Once she made up her mind about something, she stuck to her gut. And if she decided not to pursue a relationship, it wasn't going to happen. He didn't know Lucas that well, but watching him for the past years had clued Josh in on the fact that the dude was not only whipped as a family pig, but he legitimately would do _anything_ for Maya if it made her happy.

Anything including giving her up and/or giving up on her if she chose not to be with him.

While valiant, it left a sour taste in Josh's mouth at the thought of them just passing an opportunity by. Josh was certain given a push, Lucas would have no problems confessing, but he was a cautious guy and treaded water carefully regarding anything having to do with Maya. Josh knew Lucas wouldn't say anything to Maya until he figured out how she felt for him first. He would make sure that he had a shot.

And that was where Josh came in.

To make sure Lucas knew he had a shot.

~.~.~

Josh asked Maya out a few days later, telling her he'd buy her a beer if she'd agree to go on a date with him. Though she looked surprised—and hesitated a bit to respond—she ultimately agreed, no doubt because she was curious as to why he was asking her out now of all times. It'd been a while since her crush on him had ended and Josh had been gone for about five months with no contact, so it must have seemed suspicious and a little weird.

And maybe he (slightly) abused the fact that Maya had an old crush on him and knew she would come with him, but Josh knew that if he told her what his reasoning was before she went with him, she wouldn't come with him because she wouldn't like his plan.

It was a nice outing though. Maya was cheerful throughout the evening, and she didn't make any passes at him. And while he could see her contemplating him curiously when he wasn't looking, it seemed more out of confusion than anything like interest. He took her to a pool bar and bought her one drink while they played a couple tag team games against a few other people. At the end of the night, they took a quiet stroll through the park by the bay after getting some ice cream. But the fun and games were over. Maya was jittery, wondering why he'd invited her out in the first place, and Josh knew that now that he'd buttered her up a bit, he could approach the real reason why he wanted her to come with him.

Josh plopped down on a bench with a sigh and patted the seat next to him for Maya. She tossed her sticky paper from her finished ice cream cone and sat next to him.

"You're probably wondering why I brought you here," he started.

"Because you wanted to go on a date?" Maya gave him an apologetic look. "You know Josh, while this has been a really great evening, I'm sorry. I'm not really interested in you like that anymore."

"Well that's a relief, because this isn't exactly a date," Josh replied with a smile.

"Then… why are we here?" She looked confused, staring at a jogger who was being violently tugged along by her hyperactive puppy. "No offense, you're cool and all to hang out with, but I mean, if you're trying to waste my time, there are better things I could have been doing."

"It's to talk about your feelings for Lucas," Josh concluded and Maya sighed under her breath, rolling her eyes. "You're in denial Maya."

"Wow, colour me surprised," she drawled sarcastically. " _Another_ lecture about Lucas. If I had a dollar for every time someone stuck their nose in my relationship business in the past six months, I'd be a billionaire."

"Maya, I'm serious. You guys have been playing this game since junior year. You've probably liked each other for much longer than you realized. You're almost in college. It's time for you guys to make it official," Josh said.

"I will, if he finally decides he wants to give it a go. But he doesn't. Lucas doesn't want me," she muttered, bringing her knees up to her chest and staring at the ground. "…otherwise we would have been together by now, you know?"

"Did he tell you that?"

"No?"

Josh frowned. "So why do you think he doesn't want you?"

"Because… I don't know, okay?!" Maya huffed, tossing him an annoyed look out of the corner of her eye. "I just don't think it's going to happen anymore, and I can't wait forever for him to make up his damn mind. Because there are these _feelings_ between us we can't ever go back to the friendship we had, but it's not like he wants to move forward either. So I decided I'm not going to risk our new whatever kind of 'friendship' we now have when there's no guarantee that Lucas and I would last if we gave a relationship a go."

She was lying. Or at the least, that wasn't the full reason why. Josh could tell by the way her gaze was hooded and shoulders were slumped, as if the thing she'd been stewing over for however long was still plaguing her thoughts.

"Maya, you had no problems jumping at me and going after me like some rabid squirrel without fear because you knew we were never going to be real, even if I reciprocated your feelings."

"Ouch. Dooming our relationship when I never even got a shot."

"C'mon. You know it's true," Josh reiterated, rolling his eyes and nudging her. "Think about it. The reason you're so scared to pursue Lucas the way you pursued me isn't just because you're afraid of what will happen if you guys fall out. It's because what you guys have is _real,_ and you're scared of the fact that it's not fun and games anymore. If you date him for real, it's all or none. The stakes are higher. And you don't want to play _that_ game. Not yet anyway."

She didn't respond for quite a while, and for a few minutes, Josh thought that maybe Maya had decided to ignore his comment. But then she spoke.

"…I don't know what to do," Maya said quietly.

He almost didn't hear it, it had been so quiet. It was a rare moment that he saw a glimpse of Maya who wasn't the picture of perfect confidence and security in herself. It was a side he knew she reserved mostly for Lucas. He felt privileged that she was asking him for help in her own weird, guarded ways.

"Start by reminding yourself that Lucas is one of your best friends who clearly loves you. And when you can come to terms with the fact that he's not going to hurt you, maybe it's time for you to start dropping hints. I've seen you two together. If Lucas wasn't interested, trust me, he wouldn't act like _that_ , hard as it may be for you to believe."

"I'll give it a shot." Maya smiled. "Thanks, Josh."

"No problem, kid."

~.~.~

Around spring break, once he'd gotten back from his vacation with his friends, Josh invited Maya and Lucas to come to a college party at a dorm under the guise of them experiencing college firsthand.

But he had ulterior motives.

The idea was to bring them to an unfamiliar environment with unfamiliar people. And while most of his friends were open to high schoolers chilling with them and would be too drunk to care anyway, he knew they'd be preoccupied with themselves. Thus, it would force Lucas and Maya to hang out with the only people they would know very well at the party.

Themselves

Josh was putting his faith in Maya's abilities to take charge when needed, so he knew that she'd take the lead in setting to motion hopefully what would be the start of their beautiful relationship. Lucas needed to know that Maya was interested in pursuing a relationship, and Josh figured this was the best way to do so. Lots of crazy things happened at parties that could help with that.

Lucas had been a bit reserved about going to a college party serving alcohol, muttering something about his momma and a shed, but Maya hadn't let him back out.

"C'mon Huckleberry! I need someone to talk to!"

"Bring Riley with you," Lucas sighed, exasperated since that was just about the thirtieth time she'd asked him since he'd been working on his homework. Josh chuckled from his seat in Topanga's, watching as Maya kept tossing coffee beans at Lucas from the counter. "We're minors. We shouldn't be at a party with alcohol."

"Fine. I guess it doesn't matter to you if we get felt up by some college guy then," Maya said blithely, though there was a devious gleam in her gaze.

His jaw clenched, and Josh could have sworn he saw some unfamiliar angry glint in Lucas' gaze. But it worked nonetheless.

"I'm going."

Maya's answering sly grin was all the evidence Josh needed to know that she intentionally had goaded him with the idea of another guy with her to trick him into coming.

Oh, she was good.

He was only planning to invite the two idiots in denial, but Maya ended up telling Riley about the party without realizing she should have kept it on the DL. Riley demanded to come along and then invited Zay along with a couple of their other friends who liked to party. Josh knew Cory would kick his ass for bringing Riley to a wild party with alcohol and only hoped word of this didn't get out to the adults.

Josh ended up spending the better part of the evening distracting Zay—who was turning out to be way more shrewd and cunning and astute than he originally assumed—and _especially_ babysitting Riley who had accidentally had the spiked punch and was nearly bouncing around on walls. He'd figured out a good way to do both by leaving Riley in Zay's care. But he'd been otherwise successful in his plotting because Lucas and Maya definitely preferred each other's company, their faces close as they talked, nearly cuddling on the couch. Even from his position across the room, he could tell they were in their own world, as if they weren't in a crowded room full of drunk young adults.

Unfortunately, Josh had to make a convenience store run when Andrew ran out of margarita mix for their drinks. When he came back, the party was really starting to get wild, people were drunker than ever and grinding on each other everywhere, there was someone snoring by the kitchen. It was a big mess and to Josh's displeasure, Lucas and Maya were no longer on the sofa.

He almost panicked thinking that they might have left in boredom. For a minute, he thought his plan was a disaster.

At least, until he caught sight of them dancing particularly closely on the makeshift dance floor.

Maya's arms were casually thrown around the back of Lucas' neck, his arms around her lower back, holding her to him tightly. They were still lost in their own world, as was customary for the two of them, and Josh smirked, self-satisfied when Maya smiled up at Lucas flirtatiously, her lower lip caught between her teeth.

Josh turned to give them some privacy after that, understanding that it was only a matter of time before they started making out after that display of intimacy.

Which was A-OK with him. He'd done his job.

Now all that was left was for them to make things official.

~.~.~

At least, Josh thought he'd done his job, until he found out Maya went to prom with some rando, and that Lucas went to prom with another girl outside of their friend group.

Josh didn't get it. He didn't get _them_.

It seemed like every time their relationship was in a good place, on fire, and moving forward, there was always something stupid that happened that made both of them take a million steps back for caution.

Why were these damn kids always so complicated? Why was their timing always off? If it wasn't one problem it was another.

And after the prom fiasco, there was even more tension between them to the point that Josh couldn't stand being near them together. Every glare they gave each other made him feel like they were undressing each other with their eyes. Every verbal spat they got into seemed like it was loaded with innuendo. Yet they _still_ always seemed to gravitate towards each other, as though they couldn't help it even when they were mad at each other.

He didn't understand what it was about them that always prevented them from closing the deal when they had the chance. It wasn't just Lucas who seemed to shy away from their potential relationship. Even Maya wasn't particularly trying either. Josh understood that patience was a virtue, but his was wearing thin. He supposed some of the best things in life took time and effort, but sometimes he felt like he was the only one who was actually trying to move things along or salvage things.

After a couple weeks, they weren't even really _fighting_ anymore. It was mostly a lot of ignoring on Maya's part, and Lucas just seemed resigned.

And Josh had enough of their crap.

"Hey," Josh asked Zay when he ran into him outside of Topanga's, getting ready to leave. "Do you know anything about when this whole Lucas and Maya fight started? I thought they were getting closer."

Zay gave him a look that was a mix between suspicious and knowing, and Josh wondered if he'd been a little too direct with his inquiry.

"I'm concerned about Maya," Josh added. "The last time she was like this, she ended up breaking her leg skiing. So you can see why I'm a little worried, right?"

It must have been a good enough answer to appease him, because Zay's expression turned into one of understanding and he sighed, scratching the back of his head.

"I honestly don't know, man. Neither of them has told me anything that hasn't been plagued by their own biased anger." Zay shrugged. "You remember when you brought us to that party after spring break? Well, Lucas gave her a ride home. They got in a fight. And the next day they weren't talking. I thought maybe it was a hookup thing that ruined them, but they both denied it."

"So what did?"

"Wish I knew." Zay rucked his gym bag higher up on his shoulder. "I gotta go. Riley needs help practicing cheerleading and she gets crazy with her angry texts when I'm late. But good luck trying to piece together this mystery. Even we don't know what their deal is anymore, and we're their best friends."

Zay gave him a two finger salute as he left, but Josh stood in place, his brows furrowed as he thought about what Zay had said.

This was all Josh's fault. He'd pushed them together, but he hadn't realized that meddling came with a certain price. He'd rushed it before _both_ of them were ready and on board, and the loose end—Lucas—hadn't reacted the way that was needed for Josh's plan to work.

He had to fix this before it got any more out of hand than it already was.

~.~.~

Of the two of them, Maya was much more likely to be extremely guarded after this whole mess. The weak link was Lucas, and Josh intended to exploit him like nobody's business.

And he knew the best way to get this sorted was through neutral ground: baseball. So Josh bought two tickets to a game that weekend and invited Lucas along. Josh knew it was a weird request since they were more acquaintances than anything, but Lucas had agreed to go. (Josh figured the free ticket to a game had a lot to do with it). But Lucas was a little on edge and definitely wary of him throughout most of the game.

"So… What happened?" Josh asked during the seventh inning once he'd decided it'd been a long enough wait and that was as comfortable as Lucas was going to get with him.

"What do you mean?" Lucas asked slowly.

"I mean after that party I brought you guys to after Spring break," Josh clarified, not beating around the bush. "What happened between you and Maya?"

Josh was sure he hadn't imagined the slight narrowing of Lucas' eyes when he glanced at Josh, but the look disappeared almost as soon as it came on his face.

"Uh… why do you want to know?" he finally replied, a little tightly. "I mean, I'm not trying to be rude, but… how is it your business what happens between me and Maya?"

Josh chuckled. "I know what you're probably thinking. Why am I showing an interest in Maya, right? It's because I care about her. And if you did something to piss her off or something disrespectful, well… I might just have to take you out."

Okay, so it was a lie, but he figured if he mentioned that he thought Lucas did something wrong, it would provoke him into revealing what had actually happened.

"…I didn't do anything," Lucas muttered, watching as the pitcher wound up for the pitch. "And I think that's the problem."

"What?" Josh asked, totally surprised by his honest response.

"We got into some stupid argument about taking a chance on each other. I didn't say no, but I didn't exactly agree either. Next thing I know, she's avoiding me. I think she misunderstood me," Lucas said, slumping further in the stadium seat and looking like he'd deflated. "I wasn't trying to say that I _don't_ want to take a chance, period. I was trying to say that I was scared to take a chance. But it came out wrong."

"Well, did you try clear up the misunderstanding?"

Lucas looked exasperated. "I _tried_. But she just frustrates me so much! When she makes up her mind about something, changing her mindset is damn near next to impossible and then she always says something so annoying that I get pissed off and we get into _another_ fight and dammit, I just want to kiss her to shut her up, but I know if I do she'd actually punch me."

"Your approach is all wrong. Maya's the type who appreciates little things and actions rather than excuses and long-winded, big explanations. You have to go about this differently."

Lucas stared absentmindedly as the guy on first tried to steal second, though he wasn't really paying attention to the game, clearly lost in thought.

"Again, not trying to be rude, but why are you helping me? Aren't you trying to get with Maya?"

"Do you see me as some kind of rival for Maya's affections?" Josh said, staring at him incredulously. "Because I'm not."

"You took her out on a date after Valentine's day." Lucas pointed out.

"It wasn't a date." Josh put his hands behind his head, leaning back in his chair and kicking his legs up onto the back of the seat in front of him. "You can ask her if you don't believe me."

"So… you really don't like her? I mean romantically."

Was he dense?

Josh sighed. "I would've thought that was pretty obvious by the fact that I never dated her despite how much I knew she had a crush on me."

"Oh…" He stared at his hands in his lap. "I guess that makes sense."

"Look. I know you've been pretty put off by my relationship with Maya all these years, but trust me. We're not an item." Josh reiterated. "Sure, Maya is beautiful and cute and charming and any guy would be lucky to have a great girl like her, but that guy isn't going to be me."

Lucas didn't respond, but Josh could see the tension in his shoulders release. And he seemed a lot less on edge than he had been before.

"I'm not going to tell you how you should be in a relationship with her if you haven't made up your mind yet, but if you let Maya go, I know you'll regret that decision for the rest of your life," Josh said. "You'll always wonder what you could have had if you just went for it and told her that you love her."

"…She doesn't want me. She still likes you."

Why were people still under the impression that there was some kind of thing between him and Maya? Were they completely oblivious to the obvious fact that she'd had heart eyes for Lucas for several years?

"Dude. It's pretty obvious that Maya has been over me for almost a year now." Was Lucas blind? She wasn't exactly hiding the fact that she liked him. "Look, Maya likes you, but she's not going to wait years for you to make up your mind. She's going to move on. Time is running out. You have to make your move eventually."

"I don't know how. I'm scared to mess this up. I'm scared that she'll reject me. I'm scared that I won't be good enough for her." Lucas shook his head dejectedly. "She deserves the best. Am I really the best she can do?"

"Yeah," Josh said simply. Lucas turned to him in surprise. "You are. You genuinely care about her. And that's what counts. So go get her before it's too late."

"…Okay." Lucas nodded, a fiery resolve in his eyes. "Thanks. I think I needed that."

"No problem. But hey, I'm warning you now." Josh gave him a serious look. "If you hurt her, you know you'll have the entire Matthews clan coming after you, right?"

"Uh… Duly noted."

"Good. As long as you know."

~.~.~

Josh found out that Maya was working a closing shift at Topanga's on Friday so her mother could go on a date. As soon as he'd found out, Josh instructed Lucas to go to Topanga's at eleven, though he didn't quite tell him why. He figured the surprise of seeing Maya after she'd been avoiding him for so long would shock Lucas into an immediate unconscious response. But he was leaving a bit too much to chance this time. The success of this plan was contingent upon Maya being angry, and Lucas' adrenaline from Maya's fight _and_ flight response.

Josh thanked his lucky stars for the fact that it was raining that night, because it meant that most people would prefer to stay indoors instead of hang out at Topanga's for late night snacks after movies or free events around the area. It was fairly empty, so Maya and the other waitress weren't particularly occupied and when Josh walked in, Maya was trying to balance a straw above her upper lip.

"Quiet night?" Josh asked her, shaking out his umbrella and taking his hoodie's hood off of his head.

"Yeah and none of my friends can keep me company," she groaned, tossing the straw and sighing as she leaned her elbows on the counter. "Do you want something to drink or eat or whatever? I just need someone to order something so I have something to do."

"Lucas is available," Josh supplied. "Invite him over to keep you company."

She shot him a dirty look. "We're not currently on speaking terms. And you know what? I'm done taking advice from anyone about him. You were dead wrong, you know? Thanks to your oh so _great_ advice, our friendship is messed up now too."

Before Josh could respond, Topanga's door opened and they both turned in its direction when the bell jingled. It was eleven. And Lucas slipped quickly inside, tossing his umbrella by the door and grumbling under his breath about the crappy weather.

Maya's eyes met Lucas' from across the room and they both froze. Josh could see the brief fear that flashed through Maya's eyes and knew she was about to run again. Now it was up to Lucas. Was he going to let her run again, or was he finally going to do something about that nasty habit of hers of stepping away?

"Maya…" Lucas said, looking like he was gearing up to say something.

He never got the chance.

"You set me up!" Maya snapped at Josh. "I can't believe you! Can you just stop with this crap? You were wrong, okay?"

Josh rolled his eyes. "I wasn't wrong, Maya. Maybe you should actually give him a chance to talk and you'd understand why."

" _No_. I'm sick of all you people trying to dictate and control my life when you're completely wrong and misinformed. You," she pointed at Josh, "butt out of my business and _especially_ my love life. And you?" She glared at Lucas. "I told you I'm not speaking to you and I have nothing to say to you, so stop bugging me. Forget this. Emma, I'm out of here."

Maya stormed out from behind the counter, snatching off her waist apron and tossing it at Josh before stalking right past Lucas into the rain. There was silence in the café as the patrons stared at them.

Josh sighed, rubbing the back of his neck and turning to Lucas. "Your window is closing, you know?"

Lucas got the hint. Fists clenched, he turned on his heel, running out of Topanga's and out into the rain after Maya, determination on his features. Josh sure as hell wasn't about to miss it. He crept quickly to the door, peeping outside just as Lucas caught up to Maya and grabbed her wrist, stopping her from leaving.

" _Maya_! Can we just talk and figure this out for once?! Give me a chance to explain!"

"Why now? You had so many chances, Lucas. So many chances and you did nothing, yet now that I'm moving on, you're fighting for me?! It's like you only want me when I'm not available!" Maya yelled. "It's not fair, Lucas. You're hot or you're cold, but there's no in between with you! Make up your mind, because I'm tired of this stupid back and forth stuff! All of this is starting to make me think you're not worth it!"

"Maya, I'm scared, okay?!" he shouted back. "Do you think this is easy for me either?! I don't know what the hell I'm doing and it seems like every time I think I'm doing something right, I mess up and ruin everything!"

She stared up at him wide eyed. "W-what?"

"I'm scared I'm going to screw up the best thing that has ever happened to me, okay?" Lucas sighed, running a hand through his hair. "I'm scared of _you_."

Maya's lips pulled up in a small smile, though she tried to hide it. "Why are you scared of me, Huckleberry?"

"Because you make these ridiculous bets with me that I have no shot of winning and make me shave your legs as a punishment. Because your eyes do this thing where they change from blue to gray and every time I look in them, I feel like my heart is about to explode out of my chest. Because you always make me bake cookies with you even though you trash the kitchen and burn your fingers since you have the patience of a three year old. Because your hand fits in mine perfectly."

Lucas shifted his hold from her wrist so her hand was clasped in his.

"Because you're so damn _frustrating_ , but you never fail to make me laugh with your antics. Because you broke your leg to protect someone you didn't really know just because _I_ cared about her. Because I'm your Huckleberry, your Ranger Rick and thanks to you, I'm okay with being who I am. And because you're _my_ short little stack of pancakes and you threaten me every time I mention your height or pick you up because you hate that you're short, but I would never change that part of you. I would never change a damn thing about you at all.

Maya let out a soft, breathless laugh, wiping her eyes with her sleeve.

"Maya… I've never given any embarrassing speeches in my life, but here I am standing in the rain giving one to _you_. That's got to mean something, right? And fuck, we're both going to get pneumonia, but if you need to hear more reasons why _I love you_ , I could go on all night." He reached up and cupped her cheek, stroking it softly with his thumb as Maya sniffled, her face contorting the slightest bit. "And even if you've decided it's not worth it, even if you've decided you don't want to get hurt and you don't want to try us, I'll still love you. Hell, I'm fine with us not being together if it means you'll be happy, but you're my best friend Maya, and I'm pretty damn sure I'm in love with you and that I've been in love with you for years, and I need you to know that."

"Lucas…"

Maya's cheeks were burning with a blush, her stormy eyes watery and red-rimmed as she tried to keep herself from crying.

"I've made things difficult for you, and I'm sorry. But I can't give up on you because you're worth it to me," he murmured softly, stepping closer to her. "I need you to know that too. You'll always be worth it."

They stared at each other for several long seconds, goofy smiles on their face and silence reigning between them, oblivious to the fact that they were being drenched by the rain, their hair and clothes plastered to their skin.

Josh couldn't help his smile at the two teens standing in the rain in a warm embrace, their foreheads resting against each other as Maya sobbed and Lucas gently wiped away the tears on her cheeks.

"I love you, Maya. Okay?"

She nodded, laughing as she broke down and hiding her face in his chest.

And Josh knew his intervention was a total success.

~.~.~

Josh took a sip from his cup of punch from the double graduation party Cory and Topanga had thrown for both him and Riley at Topanga's, but he wasn't really paying attention to the toast Shawn was making. He was watching Lucas and Maya sitting closely on the couch by the window while their friends snuck pics of them giving each other soft kisses. Josh knew he was being a sap (maybe a bit of a creeper too), but he couldn't help the sense of pride that filled him as he watched them. He'd been responsible for the two finally committing to a real relationship.

Riley and Cory both prided themselves on being Masters at planning in their meddling, but Josh considered himself the Grand Master. After all, he'd singlehandedly accomplished something that most everybody had considered impossible for _several_ years. He held the sole bragging rights to say that he got Lucas and Maya together after speculating and observing them for so long.

They probably didn't realize what he'd done for them, and he was likely not going to be thanked anytime soon, but it didn't matter. He damn well intended to cash in on the credit when Lucas and Maya got married in however many years from now.

To think it took three years of flirting, banter, and denial before they finally got their heads out of their asses and became a couple. Josh felt like a proud parent at a graduation ceremony watching their grown up children get their diploma after years of struggle and hard work. The payoff was great.

And maybe Josh _had_ spent too long spying on a pair of high school teens, and maybe it was a little weird that for a good chunk of months his life had revolved around them, but in the end it was worth it. Things were going to go great for them both now. And so, Josh finally closed out this chapter of his life, ready to start his post college life with peace of mind now that Lucas and Maya were official.

"Good work, Joshua Matthews," he uttered to himself.

He silently toasted himself and then walked into the congregation, looking for cute interns of the law firm to flirt with.


	75. Chatroom Shenanigans

**A/N: Hi LucayaLover! Lol after watching the rain scene, I actually did end up checking out a bunch of random Brucas scenes because I couldn't get enough of their chemistry xD I don't think I'd ever watch the show... Seems kind of over the top dramatic lol, but holy crap they are a great couple together! It's a shame about the actors' relationship being the deciding factor in ending their obvious excellent relationship on screen. Brucas is a really cute couple!  
**

 **Happy belated birthday stars and sparkles! Joyeux anniversaire, ma chérie! Please accept this chapter as a birthday gift, love :3 I hope your day was incredible! And happy belated birthday Guest! I hope you had a wonderful day and enjoyed yourself immensely and had a lot of fun! ^_^**

 **And thank you to those who participated in the hotdog experiment lol; it came out to 23.8% participation.**

 **On queue:** **Spin the bottle** **  
**

 **Enjoy! Thank you so much for being wonderful beautiful precious people! All your kindhearted, heartwarming comments never fail to make my day! Thank you for everything! I appreciate you all very much! I'll work on responding to everything! Thanks for your patience with me! :D  
**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own GMW.**

* * *

 **Title: Chatroom Shenanigans  
Pairings&Characters: Maya, Zay, Dumbass!Lucas, Smackle, Riley, Farkle, Katy, Shawn, Topanga, Lucaya (one-sided), Zay/?, Riarkle (if you squint)**  
 **Genre: Friendship,** **Humor ( DIRTY), AU** **  
Rating: High T for Teenage Tomfoolery (this is DIRTY)  
Summary: In which everyone is acting foolish, and Maya has had enough.  
**

 **(I read somewhere that Cecilia Balagot is Filipino, so I figured Smackle is too? Correct me if I'm wrong).**

* * *

 _ **Dr. Kool has logged on…**_

 **Dr. Kool** **:** Blondie, u there?

 **peachesn'cream :** yeah

 **Dr. Kool** **:** figures. y r u always logged in

 **peachesn'cream :** too much effort to log out and then log back in. need st?

 **Dr. Kool** **:** advice. ive been chatting up this girl

 **peachesn'cream :** does she go to our school?

 **Dr. Kool** **:** thats not relevant to the story

 **peachesn'cream :** the hell it isn't.

 **peachesn'cream : **tell me who

 **Dr. Kool** **:** lets just say shes not very outspoken but she can be a freak and i love it

 **Dr. Kool** **:** but i keep getting mixed signals from her. last night she asked me to come over and help her clean her cat

 **Dr. Kool** **:** y the hell would i do that so i told her to clean it herself cuz i wasnt interested and today she completely ignored me!

 **Dr. Kool** **:** i txted her earlier asking y and she told me that if id been smart i wouldve helped her clean her cat

 **Dr. Kool** **:** but i dont understand y the fucking cat has anything to do w/ our relationship

 **peachesn'cream :** …

 **peachesn'cream : **zay, she didn't invite you over to clean her cat

 **Dr. Kool** **:** ?

 **peachesn'cream : **look up synonyms for cat

 **Dr. Kool** **:** …

 **Dr. Kool** **:** I COULDVE GOTTEN LAID

 **peachesn'cream :** how did you miss such an obvious sign?

 **peachesn'cream : **you, the guy who supposedly knows all and sees all? frankly, i'm disappointed

 **Dr. Kool** **:** i was playing a video game with lucas! i didn't pay attention to the context!

 **peachesn'cream : **so what are you still doing on here? there's a cat that she wants you to clean

 **Dr. Kool** **:** shes at work. ill hit her up later

 **Dr. Kool** **:** wyd rn?

 **peachesn'cream :** trying to figure out what to get lucas for his birthday. i've been looking through all these catalogues

 **peachesn'cream : **can't find anything good. suggestions?

 **Dr. Kool** **:** wut genre r u going for here?

 **peachesn'cream :** gag gift. st cowboy related

 **Dr. Kool** **:** …were graduating this yr. youve been giving him gag gifts for 6 yrs

 **Dr. Kool** **:** st tells me he might want st diff from u

 **peachesn'cream :** why break the status quo? besides it's tradition

 **peachesn'cream : **i get him cowboy and tx related bs and he gets me art supplies

 **Dr. Kool** **:** i dont get u two

 **peachesn'cream :** ?

 **Dr. Kool** **:** u sleep in each others beds sometimes. u cuddle all the time. ur each others designated fake dates. u wear his shirts to school

 **Dr. Kool** **:** (im pretty sure u guys have sexy timez)

 **Dr. Kool** **:** yet ur not dating

 **peachesn'cream :** we're not the type of people who can work that kind of relationship

 **Dr. Kool** **:** …tf?

 **Dr. Kool** **:** ur already basically dating

 **Dr. Kool** **:** wut the hell kind of relationship do u hav then?

 **peachesn'cream :** it's a long story

 **Dr. Kool** **:** ive got time

 **peachesn'cream : **isn't our lit paper due in five hrs? you should get to work

 **Dr. Kool** **:** dont try to change the subject. i no u sure as hell havent started on it either

 **peachesn'cream :** he got tired of girls hitting on him

 **Dr. Kool** **:** so… u guys r pretending ur dating?

 **peachesn'cream :** we're not pretending to date. ppl just assume things when you spend half your time with a guy. we just haven't denied anything

 **Dr. Kool** **:** u no lucas likes you right?

 **Dr. Kool** **:** more than as a friend

 **peachesn'cream :** oh believe me. i know

 _ **DudleyDoRight has logged on…**_

 **DudleyDoRight :** hey

 **Dr. Kool** **:** speak of the devil…

 **Dr. Kool** **:** how come u and maya arent dating yet?

 **DudleyDoRight :** It's not like I haven't asked a thousand times.

 **peachesn'cream :** and just like every time heehaw, the answer is still N-O

 **DudleyDoRight : **I know you like me too, Shortstack.

 **peachesn'cream :** irrelevant. i'm still not dating you

 **DudleyDoRight :** That's fine. We're gonna get married in the future, anyway.

 **peachesn'cream :** …

 **Dr. Kool** **:** u hav absolutely no chill

 **peachesn'cream :** gotta give him points for tenacity

 _ **Dr. Kool has logged off…**_

 _ **Dr. Kool has logged on…**_

 **DudleyDoRight :** ?

 **Dr. Kool** **:** spotty internet

 **Dr. Kool** **:** uhh guys, weve got a situation

 **DudleyDoRight :** What did you do this time, Zay?

 **Dr. Kool** **:** i alert u to a situation and ur first thought is that i fucked st up?

 **peachesn'cream :** let's recap

 **peachesn'cream :** the last time you said 'we got a situation' lucas got his head flushed in a toilet

 **peachesn'cream :** and you got such a bad wedgie by varsity football that you had to go to the hospital to get your underwear 'removed' from your ass crack

 **peachesn'cream :** and let's not forget you accidentally eating my mom's laxative brownies and turning my bathroom into willy wonka's "chocolate" factory

 **Dr. Kool** **:** oh cmon. it wasnt that bad

 **Dr. Kool** **:** so i missed the toilet a couple times

 **peachesn'cream :** a couple?

 **peachesn'cream :** we had to replace ALL the floor tiles!

 **DudleyDoRight : **I think it's safe to say that our reservations are founded.

 **Dr. Kool** **:** thats beside the point. this isnt a situation about me this time!

 _ **codename:MILF has logged on…**_

 **codename:MILF** **:** Maya, I know I haven't been home for the past few days, but I've been debating this on and off for a good hour, and I've made up my mind

 **codename:MILF** **:** We need to talk

 **peachesn'cream : **about?

 **codename:MILF** **:** Boys. And urges. Those strong urges we get when our hormones and sex drives just go haywire and we get all hot and bothered. We need satisfaction because we're human beings, you see. And as a female, you probably get satisfaction from the nerves between your legs which can be fulfilled in many ways. One of which involves penetration. And as you know, penetrative intercourse can lead to conception.

 **Dr. Kool** **:** holy shit…

 **peachesn'cream : **fml

 **codename:MILF** **:** We're having a sex talk, Maya

 **peachesn'cream : **no the fuck we're not

 **codename:MILF** **:** It's been brought to my attention that you have been spending a lot of… alone time with that boy who looks like he came out of a GQ magazine. And I suspect you're having a hard time keeping each other's hands out of your pants.

 **peachesn'cream : **MOM

 **Dr. Kool** **:** BWAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHDOVDCPBEUOWCVJQNBDPUVBI

 **codename:MILF** **:** I'm confused

 **codename:MILF** **:** This name Dr. Kool has come up twice. Who are you? What are you doing in my chat room?

 **Dr. Kool** **:** im zay

 **codename:MILF** **:** Zay who ate my brownies and got explosive diarrhoea Zay?

 **Dr. Kool** **:** …the one and only

 **codename:MILF** **:** Hi Zay! :D

 **Dr. Kool** **:** hey ms hart :]

 **codename:MILF** **:** How did you join my private chat?

 **peachesn'cream :** this ISN'T a private chat room mom

 **codename:MILF** **:** I clicked on your name and then a chat you're in showed up so I joined. Is that not correct?

 **peachesn'cream** **:** that's not how you make a private chat

 **codename:MILF** **:** Oh. I can never understand these chat things

 **peachesn'cream :** why the hell is your username codename:MILF?

 **codename:MILF** **:** Cory told me that it stands for Mommy In Love Forever. And I am in love forever!

 **codename:MILF** **:** With Shawn! xoxoxo

 **codename:MILF** **:** Cute, isn't it? :)

 **Dr. Kool** **:** brb. ROFLMFAO

 **peachesn'cream :** yeah, if that's what it meant

 **codename:MILF** **:** What do you mean?

 **DudleyDoRight :** MILF means mother I'd like to f***, Ms. Hart.

 **codename:MILF** **:** …

 **codename:MILF** **:** THAT SON OF A BITCH

 _ **codename:MILF has logged off…**_

 **peachesn'cream :** did you really just blur out fuck?

 **DudleyDoRight :** There was an adult in the chatroom. I'm trying to be respectful.

 **DudleyDoRight :** But let's talk about the fact that even the adults know that we're together

 **DudleyDoRight : **Clear sign we're meant to be ;)

 **peachesn'cream : **in your dreams ranger rick~

 **DudleyDoRight : **Well… yeah actually

 _ **SMACKLE has logged on…**_

 **Dr. Kool** **:** can we get back to that later? i hav st i need to tell u guys

 **SMACKLE** **:** Greetings and salutations companions. I have returned from a Robotics competition in which I have thoroughly "mopped the floor" with the competition and showed all those dithering fools who is the queen around here.

 **SMACKLE** **:** That's trophy number 685.

 **SMACKLE** **:** Did Jimmy Neutron have that amount? No?

 **SMACKLE** **:** Didn't think so.

 **DudleyDoRight :** Jimmy Neutron? Isn't that a fictional character?

 **SMACKLE** **:** Oh Lucas. So pretty. Yet so, so dumb.

 **SMACKLE** **:** I was making a hypothetical comparison due to our similarities in personality and interests in robotics and mechanical physics.

 **DudleyDoRight : **Thanks for clarifying…

 _ **xosunshinematthewsxo has logged on…**_

 **xosunshinematthewsxo** **:** help! (x1000)

 **peachesn'cream :** what's wrong?

 **xosunshinematthewsxo** **:** I need help with french Lucas!

 **xosunshinematthewsxo** **:** I heard this in a song and I've been singing it all day but people keep giving me weird looks.

 **xosunshinematthewsxo** **:** What does 'voolay voo cooshay avec mwah' mean?

 **SMACKLE** **:** *voulez vous coucher avec moi; smdh

 **SMACKLE** **:** (Which means shaking my damn head).

 **Dr. Kool** **:** we no izzy

 **SMACKLE** **:** Duh. Because I just told you.

 **Dr. Kool** **:** and i am so grateful for it…

 **SMACKLE** **:** I appreciate your gratitude Isaiah, but I honestly don't think a relationship between us would work. We're just too different.

 **Dr. Kool** **:** …

 **Dr. Kool** **:** i wasnt…

 **Dr. Kool** **:** nvm

 **DudleyDoRight :** Riley. That means 'can you sleep with me'. As in, sex.

 **xosunshinematthewsxo** **:** O.o

 **xosunshinematthewsxo** **:** That explains why that pretty woman on the subway gave me her business card…

 **Dr. Kool** **:** business card?! for what business

 **xosunshinematthewsxo** **:** Clap Encounters

 **peachesn'cream :** …

 **peachesn'cream :** riley

 **Dr. Kool** **:** oh god… im dying! i cant breathe x'DDDD

 **xosunshinematthewsxo** **:** what's wrong?

 **SMACKLE** **:** I also do not understand.

 **xosunshinematthewsxo** **:** Should I call her to explain that it was a misunderstanding since I didn't know the lyrics?

 **DudleyDoRight :** I wouldn't

 **Dr. Kool** **:** oh riley… so curious, yet so so naïve

 **xosunshinematthewsxo** **:** What have you guys been up to? =3

 **Dr. Kool** **:** trying to write an essay due by midnight

 **peachesn'cream :** looking up gifts for huckleberry

 **xosunshinematthewsxo** **:** That's right! What are we going to get Lucas for his birthday?

 **DudleyDoRight :** I'm right here. Maybe you guys should discuss this in private?

 **peachesn'cream :** you already know i'm getting you a gag gift. we get each other the same shit every yr

 **Dr. Kool** **:** he actually wants panties tho

 **DudleyDoRight :** Zay!

 **peachesn'cream :** well that's a fuck no for me, so…

 **Dr. Kool** **:** u no i dont keep secrets. stop telling me them!

 **SMACKLE** **:** If he wants a pair of all of our panties, we should just give them to him. It is his birthday, I suppose.

 **SMACKLE** **:** Though I cannot be held accountable for the urges that will surely arise upon inspection of mine **.** They are very tempting.

 **SMACKLE** **:** An alluring pair. Hand crafted and stitched by my Lola

 **SMACKLE** **:** (Which means grandmother in Filipino).

 **SMACKLE** **:** They're very comfy. Perfect for those days when I menstruate.

 **xosunshinematthewsxo** **:** :O

 **xosunshinematthewsxo** **:** That's something that you don't share, Smackle!

 **SMACKLE** **:** Actually now that I think about it, they're too comfortable to give up.

 **SMACKLE** **:** Buy your own pair of panties! I'm not giving these to you! You could never be able to appreciate the complexities and love put into each stitch of the fabric!

 **SMACKLE** **:** Sorry Lucas. (You're still a very cute pervert though).

 **Dr. Kool** **:** iz, he meant mayas panties

 **SMACKLE** **:** Oh…

 **SMACKLE** **:** Well. This is awkward.

 _ **SMACKLE has logged off…**_

 **DudleyDoRight :** I'm not a pervert!

 **peachesn'cream :** i disagree.

 **Dr. Kool** **:** here, here. i second that notion

 **DudleyDoRight :** If I'm a pervert, then what does that say about you, Maya?

 **Dr. Kool** **:** damn hes got a point

 **peachesn'cream :** that i've been brainwashed by your attractive features

 **peachesn'cream : **don't worry. it doesn't last long because all you have to do is open your mouth

 **DudleyDoRight :** Look, It wasn't like I said I wanted your panties all out of the blue! Zay and I were drunk and I mentioned how I saw up your skirt one time and then we started talking about underwear!

 **DudleyDoRight : **That was it!

 **xosunshinematthewsxo** **:** O.e

 **peachesn'cream :** …

 **DudleyDoRight :** Fuck! I made it worse!

 **Dr. Kool** **:** xD

 **peachesn'cream :** do you ever get tired of making an ass of yourself?

 **Dr. Kool** **:** i sure as hell dont get tired of watching him make an ass of himself xD

 **xosunshinematthewsxo** **:** it is pretty funny sometimes =D

 _ **SMACKLE has logged on…**_

 **DudleyDoRight :** What is this? gang up on Lucas day?

 **SMACKLE** **:** You must to be The Stooge today. Who was it yesterday?

 **DudleyDoRight :** IT WAS ALSO ME

 **SMACKLE** **:** :P

 **SMACKLE** **:** (Which means I'm sticking my tongue out in an effort to be disrespectful, but cute).

 **Dr. Kool** **:** ur explanations r always a pleasure izzy

 **SMACKLE** **:** Your copious usage of abbreviations and frequent disregard of capitalization and punctuation are not, Isaiah.

 **xosunshinematthewsxo** **:** You know we could just get him a normal gift? like a signed baseball?

 **peachesn'cream :** where's the fun in that? making fun of him is the best

 **SMACKLE** **:** I concur with that statement.

 **xosunshinematthewsxo** **:** heyyyy, where's Farkle? isn't he usually done with homework by this time?

 **Dr. Kool** **:** THATS RIGHT! ive been trying to tell u guys since earlier

 **Dr. Kool** **:** i think farkle lost his virginity!

 **xosunshinematthewsxo** **:** WHAT?!

 **DudleyDoRight :** Holy shit!

 **peachesn'cream :** …where are you getting this info from?

 **SMACKLE** **:** That's impossible. Robots do not experience sexual urges or desires.

 **Dr. Kool** **:** well then how do u explain those masturbation dolls

 **xosunshinematthewsxo** **:** Zay! That's gross! X'C

 **SMACKLE** **:** There exist robots who have desires like human beings? It appears I stand corrected. I must research this topic more.

 **SMACKLE** **:** Isaiah, do you know any reliable videos or documentaries I can use as a source for my research?

 **Dr. Kool** **:** sure do :D

 **Dr. Kool** **:** look up naughty girls like sausage and watch the vid

 **SMACKLE** **:** …

 **SMACKLE** **:** I don't understand how that title relates to my inquiry, but okay.

 **Dr. Kool** **:** just trust me. its a great watch

 **SMACKLE** **:** Understood. I'll bbl.

 **SMACKLE** **:** (Which means be back later).

 _ **SMACKLE has logged off…**_

 **xosunshinematthewsxo** **:** NO DON'T!

 **Dr. Kool** **:** too late! WAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

 **xosunshinematthewsxo** **:** why are you trying to defile Smackle's mind?!

 **Dr. Kool** **:** bc its funny

 **DudleyDoRight :** Zay, why do you think Farkle lost his virginity?

 _ **Dr. Kool has logged off…**_

 _ **Dr. Kool has logged on…**_

 **Dr. Kool** **:** my internets fucking up

 **Dr. Kool** **:** hold on

 _ **Dr. Kool has logged off…**_

 _ **Dr. Kool has logged on…**_

 _ **Dr. Kool has logged off…**_

 **DudleyDoRight :** He can't just drop this news on us and leave us hanging!

 **peachesn'cream :** it's zay we're talking about. this is probs not fact

 **xosunshinematthewsxo** **:** I don't know… a lot of girls do seem to be in love w/ Farkle ever since he became a ladies man

 _ **Anon673913 has logged on…**_

 **Anon673913** **:** Riley, I called you three times. Dinner is ready. If you want to eat, get off your computer and come get food.

 **xosunshinematthewsxo** **:** but mommy!

 **Anon673913** **:** Don't but mommy me. You have one minute or we're eating without you

 _ **Anon673913 has logged off…**_

 **xosunshinematthewsxo** **:** Be back later, guys.

 **xosunshinematthewsxo** **:** Zay, you better not explain anything about Farkle until I get back

 **peachesn'cream :** his internet is still on the fritz

 **xosunshinematthewsxo** **:** Darn! Tell him for me

 _ **xosunshinematthewsxo has logged off…**_

 **DudleyDoRight :** …

 **DudleyDoRight : **I guess that means we're alone, Maya :)

 **peachesn'cream :** if i wasn't so lazy, i would have logged off rn

 **DudleyDoRight : **My mom's not home. Voulez-vous coucher avec moi, ce soir? ;D

 **peachesn'cream : **i already told you that you have to beat my high score in tetris. have you beaten it?

 **DudleyDoRight : **I'm trying! But you got some insane score

 **peachesn'cream : **guess that's still a no then

 **DudleyDoRight : **Maya… I'm dying here… It's been a week!

 **peachesn'cream : **you can hold out longer. besides, my mom is onto us

 **peachesn'cream : **we need a break

 **DudleyDoRight : **NOOOOOOOOO

 **DudleyDoRight : **Not a break! Anything but a break!

 **peachesn'cream : **awww. poor bb

 **peachesn'cream : **i might come over when i finish my paper, but you are obsessed with sex sundance

 **DudleyDoRight :** Is that such a bad thing?

 **peachesn'cream :** no, but we might rly have to take a break. it is what it is

 **DudleyDoRight :** It'll be hard TT_TT

 **peachesn'cream** **:** you'll live

 _ **Dr. Kool has logged on…**_

 _ **LadyKiller123 has logged on…**_

 **DudleyDoRight :** Is it my fault that I love the way you feel around me? ;)

 **LadyKiller123** **:** Maya, your mother says that she knows you're too lazy to cook and haven't eaten. you need to order takeout or she's coming to your school in a fowl.

 _ **Dr. Kool has logged off…**_

 **peachesn'cream : **what's a fowl, shawn?

 **LadyKiller123** **:** Towel!db mmhdjeoowkehiowcbiv;absncsh I hate these tiny touchscreen buttons! How the fuck are my grown adult man thimbles supposed to type with this?!

 **LadyKiller123** **:** THUMBS ARRRRRRRRRGHHWOECJEFVGRG

 **LadyKiller123** **:** Wait… who the hell is this dudleydoright creep

 **LadyKiller123** **:** and what did you just say to my daughter?!

 _ **DudleyDoRight has logged off…**_

 **LadyKiller123** **:** I'm tracking this guy's IP address.

 _ **LadyKiller123 has logged off…**_

 _ **Dr. Kool has logged on…**_

 **Dr. Kool** **:** i live!

 _ **Dr. Kool has logged off…**_

 _ **Dr. Kool has logged on…**_

 **Dr. Kool** **:** im sick of this piece of shit internet

 _ **Dr. Kool has logged off…**_

 _ **Dr. Kool has logged on…**_

 _ **DudleyDoRight has logged on…**_

 **DudleyDoRight :** Is he gone?

 **peachesn'cream :** he'll be back, you know?

 **DudleyDoRight :** I know…

 **Dr. Kool** **:** who talks dirty in a PUBLIC chatroom?

 **Dr. Kool** **:** this is the guy youve chosen to hook up w/ Blondie?

 **peachesn'cream :** when he's not talking or thinking, it's actually enjoyable. good for burning calories

 **DudleyDoRight : **That's all I'm good for?

 **peachesn'cream :** nope.

 **peachesn'cream : **you're also a good punching bag

 **DudleyDoRight :** cuz that's so much better…

 **peachesn'cream :** that about covers it, wouldn't you say so zay?

 **Dr. Kool** **:** two thumbs up from me

 **DudleyDoRight :** I thought you were supposed to be my best friend, Zay!

 **Dr. Kool** **:** sry maya makes a mean frittata

 **Dr. Kool** **:** u no food is the fastest way to my heart

 **DudleyDoRight :** Huh. Well you've got a point there

 _ **xosunshinematthewsxo has logged on…**_

 **xosunshinematthewsxo** **:** Luuuuuuccccccaaaaaasssss, I need some more help!

 **xosunshinematthewsxo** **:** what does vyan don ma boosh mean? This song is catchy too

 **DudleyDoRight :** "Viens dans ma bouche" means come in my mouth. Also sexual.

 **xosunshinematthewsxo** **:** OMG! Ewww! DX

 **Dr. Kool** **:** wut the fuck r u listening to?

 **xosunshinematthewsxo** **:** I don't know! Get it away!

 **xosunshinematthewsxo** **:** Maya I'VE BEEN LISTENING TO A SEX PLAYLIST!

 **Dr. Kool** **:** lolol oh god this is priceless!

 **xosunshinematthewsxo** **:** This isn't a joke! How do I make it stop?!

 **xosunshinematthewsxo** **:** My internet is frozen!

 _ **SMACKLE has logged on…**_

 **SMACKLE** **:** YOU TREACHEROUS SNAKE ISAIAH.

 **SMACKLE** **:** I HOPE YOU UNDERSTAND I AM USING ALL CAPITOL LETTERS TO EMPHATICALLY PORTRAY HOW FURIOUS I AM WITH YOU

 _ **xosunshinematthewsxo has logged off…**_

 **Dr. Kool** **:** *capital

 **SMACKLE** **:** FLIRTING WITH ME WILL NOT DETER MY ANGER YOU IMBECILE

 **DudleyDoRight :** What happened?

 **SMACKLE** **:** What happened? WHAT HAPPENED IS I WAS FOOLED INTO WATCHING SOMETHING THAT MADE MY EYES BLEED

 **SMACKLE** **:** I THOUGHT SHE WAS EATING A SAUSAGE ISAIAH! BUT SHE WASN'T!

 **Dr. Kool** **:** BWAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA YOU ACTUALLY WATCHED IT?!

 **SMACKLE** **:** YOU ARE A DIRTY, DIRTY MAN!

 **DudleyDoRight :** If it makes you feel better, he did the same thing to me when we were in junior high… I'll never get the mental image out of my head.

 _ **LadyKiller123 has logged on…**_

 **SMACKLE** **:** Not even your cheekbones and jawline crafted by Aphrodite herself and your Adonis good looks can make me feel better.

 **SMACKLE** **:** …

 **SMACKLE** **:** But maybe if you became my personal servant?

 **DudleyDoRight :** Uh… I don't think Maya would appreciate that

 **peachesn'cream :** you can have him until the end of the month. knock yourself out

 **DudleyDoRight :** Why does no one in our fucking friend group value loyalty?!

 **LadyKiller123** **:** Aha! You're that punk kid Lucas, aren't you?! you're fucking dead!

 **DudleyDoRight :** shit

 **LadyKiller123** **:** I'm coming for that ass!

 **Dr. Kool** **:** O.o

 **peachesn'cream :** might want to rethink your word choice there shawn

 **LadyKiller123** **:** …

 **LadyKiller123** **:** wait NO I did mean it like that!

 **LadyKiller123** **:** *DIDN'T

 **LadyKiller123** **:** Goddammit!

 _ **LadyKiller123 has logged off…**_

 **SMACKLE** **:** Hooray! Lucas is mine now!

 _ **xosunshinematthewsxo has logged on…**_

 **Dr. Kool** **:** penny heiser just posted a pic of herself in farkles room!

 **xosunshinematthewsxo** **:** What?!

 **SMACKLE** **:** What?!

 **DudleyDoRight :** What?!

 **Dr. Kool** **:** thats wut ive been trying to say this whole time! i think farkle lost his virginity to penny heiser!

 **xosunshinematthewsxo** **:** What?!

 **SMACKLE** **:** What?!

 **DudleyDoRight :** What?!

 **peachesn'cream :** sounds fishy…

 **peachesn'cream :** how did you jump to those conclusions?

 **Dr. Kool** **:** she went home w/ him yesterday and she showed up to school in the same clothes today

 **DudleyDoRight :** But how do you know that means that HE lost his virginity?

 **Dr. Kool** **:** thats evidence enough

 **Dr. Kool** **:** this is penny heiser were talking about! she has irresistible charms

 **xosunshinematthewsxo** **:** Penny is beautiful… and her legs go for miles

 **xosunshinematthewsxo** **:** but why Penny :/

 **xosunshinematthewsxo** **:** there are lots of nicer girls out there

 **SMACKLE** **:** Hmmm. I remain unconvinced. I still don't think that's enough evidence…

 **Dr. Kool** **:** since when does farkle bring girls into his room?

 **DudleyDoRight :** He's got a point.

 **SMACKLE** **:** That is a very strong argument… It appears our robotic friend has become a man.

 _ **IAmRoboFarkle has logged on…**_

 **Dr. Kool** **:** see what did i tell you? farkle lost his virginity to penny heiser

 **IAmRoboFarkle : **Hi

 **xosunshinematthewsxo** **:** Farkle! is it true?! did you lose your virginity to Penny?!

 **IAmRoboFarkle : **No

 **DudleyDoRight** **:** I knew there couldn't be something right with what you said, Zay.

 **IAmRoboFarkle : **I've been tutoring Penny in Physics. Zay, stop spreading rumours about me.

 **IAmRoboFarkle : **Do you see me telling people about the fact that you wear thongs every day because it gives you a rush?

 **xosunshinematthewsxo** **:** O.O

 **SMACKLE** **:** …

 **DudleyDoRight :** And you give me shit for liking maya's underwear?

 **Dr. Kool** **:** wait thats not true! i dont wear thongs!

 _ **xosunshinematthewsxo has logged off…**_

 _ **SMACKLE has logged off…**_

 _ **DudleyDoRight has logged off…**_

 **IAmRoboFarkle :** You can't beat the king, Zay

 **IAmRoboFarkle : **And fyi, I lost my virginity to our head cheerleader last year. Yesterday night was a threesome with Penny Heiser and Carly Klein

 _ **IAmRoboFarkle has logged off…**_

 **Dr. Kool** **:** GUYS! SEE?! I WASN'T WRONG!

 **Dr. Kool** **:** WHY ISN'T ANYONE LOGGED ON?!

 **Dr. Kool** **:** DAMMIT!

 _ **Dr. Kool has logged off…**_

 **peachesn'cream :** you all are fucking morons…


	76. Meet 'Cute'

**A/N: Okay, I have decided to make Chatroom Shenanigans a recurring series to add more characters as suggested and _fine_ lol. You guys convinced me to make Misconceptions a multi so I'll start the planning for that. :3 (You guys are way too convincing haha!)  
**

 **This is a short ramble-y oneshot because I just needed to write something fast. Plus the last few one shots have been kind of heavy, especially on the pervy stuff lol. I just wanted to write some lighthearted and doofy Lucaya. (This is also a semi experiment in writing an "action" scene to prepare for one of my next projects).  
**

 **On queue:** **Spin the bottle (okay, it'll be the next one for real this time!)** **  
**

 **Enjoy! I'm glad you are enjoying the oneshots! I appreciate all your kind words and support! You guys are the absolute bestest and amazingest people ever and I'm having a blast working out plots for your requests! Thanks for all of you requests by the way; I'm slow to write them, but trust me, I definitely will work to get through all of them eventually! Hugs and kisses to you all! :D  
**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own GMW.**

* * *

 **Title: Meet "Cute"  
Pairings&Characters: Maya, Lucas**  
 **Genre:** **Humor (Nonsense),** **Angst,** **AU** **  
Rating: T for Totally Distracted  
Summary: How Maya met Lucas.  
**

* * *

Maya was so bored.

She'd been sitting on this park bench trying to work on some problems for a class, though that had quickly turned into doodling in the margins of her textbook. She'd lost interest in all this econ, and it definitely didn't help that it was an overcast day bound to start raining heavily which severely dampened her motivation. There had to be _something_ exciting going on that could give her something to do.

For a second, part of her almost decided to make trouble somehow, but when a woman suddenly screamed that her car was getting jacked, Maya found her distraction. She turned around and watched the street as the man pushed a woman out of his way onto the sidewalk and jumped into her car. He sped off while the woman screamed bloody murder and for people to call 911.

Maya rose from the bench with a frown, suddenly overcome with a desire to stop this guy. There were no police in sight, and who knew how hard it would be to catch the guy once he got into the huge blend of traffic. They wouldn't see where he was heading off to once they arrived. What if he got away?

Her blood pumping with adrenaline, Maya looked for something she could do when she caught sight of some guy nearby unlatching his bike from a light pole near the little pond. Rushing over to him, she grabbed the handlebars to pull his bike away from him.

"I need to borrow this," she said.

"Hey! That's _my_ bike!" he growled, pulling it back towards him.

"I need to borrow this!" Maya tried to wrestle it away from him, but he refused to let go, glaring down at her. "Let go, dude!"

"Use someone else's! I need it for work!" he cried indignantly.

Maya rolled her eyes and planted her foot right on his abdomen, using it to shove him away from the bike. He let out a grunt and tumbled backwards into the pond behind him with a shout. The splash he made was huge and Maya grimaced as he stared up at her completely aghast, his eyes wide and jaw dropped. She hadn't meant to knock him into the pond. She just wanted him to let go.

"Sorry!" She called out as she got a slight running start before hopping on the bike. "I really needed your bike! I'll bring it back later!"

"You bitch!"

His shout followed her as she pedalled furiously out of the park, turning on the street and speeding as fast as she could to catch up with the guy. Somewhere along the way, she hit a pothole and the bag that had been on the carrier on the back wheel of the bike tumbled off, landing in the street with a splat. Maya ignored it, working her legs even harder and faster until she caught sight of the blue bug travelling through the street at record speed. He was quickly approaching traffic, and Maya saw her chance to get to the guy and stop him somehow. She didn't really have a plan, but her boredom was starting to be satiated and that was enough for her.

The car came to an abrupt stop once it reached the end of the bad traffic. She could just make out the guy on the inside, slapping the wheel in frustration. Then Maya gasped as the white lights of the car moving in reverse suddenly showed. She was still coasting, approaching him pretty quickly and if she didn't move out of the way, she would get run over. Cursing loudly, Maya hopped off the bike at the last second, landing heavily on the road and coming to a rolling stop way too close for comfort. Her elbow dragged along on the ground, and she winced as the skin scraped against the uneven pavement just as she heard the jarring sound of metal getting crushed.

"Shit… that could have been me."

She ignored the pain in her arm, standing up just as the man kicked open the door of the car and climbed out. People were starting to gather in the area, looking at the spectacle in shock, a few asking her if she was okay in concern.

He was trying to run.

The man pulled out a bag from the passenger seat of the car, turning on his heel and gearing up to run, but Maya raced towards him, no thoughts in her head at all except to stop him as she barrelled towards him at record speed. She collided right into him, throwing all her weight into her brutal tackle. He grunted as they tumbled to the ground, his face smashing into the pavement painfully as Maya landed on him. The impact bounced her off of his back, tossing her about a half meter away. He groaned in pain, cursing under his breath as the black bag scattered a little ways down the street. Maya breathed heavily as she shakily rose to her feet, seriously questioning her stupidity for going after this guy. But at least she'd slowed his escape.

And it proved handy because a few seconds later, a pair of cops on motorbikes paraded down the street, stopping nearby them and squeezing their way through the crowd that had gathered.

"What happened? Miss, are you alright?" the female cop asked.

"I saw the whole thing!" A guy on the sidewalk exclaimed. "She was chasing that car on her bike and he almost ran her over and then he tried to run out of the car and she tackled him to the ground!"

"Ma'am, thank you." The other cop picked up the black bag, opening it to show the contents, a lot of bundles of cash. "That man robbed a bank earlier, and we'd been trying to catch him."

"You're like a modern day superhero!" A woman gushed, clapping Maya on the back.

"No need to thank me." She smiled as people cheered, scratching the back of her head in slight embarrassment. "I'm just doing my civic duty."

She'd stopped a bank robber! Wait until her mom heard about this!

While accepting the congratulations and praise though, there was a lingering thought in the back of her mind that there was something important she was forgetting.

~.~.~

Maya's afternoon had been full of enough excitement for one week, and she'd loved her ten minutes of fame getting interviewed on the local news about her act to stop the robber. But now she was just glad that she could spend her time relaxing and lazing about at home, especially since the rain had arrived and was cascading outside, lulling her into a lethargic state. Her elbow—although properly cleaned and bandaged—was still paining her and she wanted to ice it while catching up on her Netflix shows.

She was en route to her couch with a bowl of popcorn when the doorbell suddenly rang. Grumbling under her breath, she set the bowl down and walked over to open it.

It was some livid pizza guy, standing in the rain, drenched and looking furious.

"Special delivery for Maya Hart," he growled angrily, barging into the foyer before she could respond or ask what he wanted.

"I didn't order any pizza. Dude, you're tracking in water." She frowned, realizing she defnitely recognized him from somewhere though she couldn't quite place it. "Hey, wait a second… you look—"

" _Familiar_? Yeah, I bet!" He gestured to the scrap heap of a bike on the ground outside her door that he'd clearly dragged in front of her apartment. It was absolutely trashed. The bent spokes and wheel, the broken handlebars, the crushed light fixture at the front. "You stole my bike! You said you would return it but then you trashed it and left it in the street!"

Yikes.

"Oh yeah! Bicycle guy! Thanks for letting me use it, by the way." Maya chuckled, slapping his arm playfully. "I knew I forgot to do _something_. How did you find me?"

"You left your textbook on the park bench. I looked you up and found out you go to NYU too. And then I asked around, found your apartment, and here. I. Am!" He sounded hysterical, his sea-foam eyes blazing with fury and all his words punctuated by the erratic motions of his hands. "Thanks to you, I had to walk back to my job smelling like sewage and pond water! There was a fucking _tadpole_ in my briefs wedged in my crack! A _tadpole_!"

"You wear briefs?" Maya eyed his crotch curiously. "Huh. I would've taken you for more of a boxers kind of guy…"

His cheeks flushed a blotchy red. "That's beside the point! My boss took the undelivered pizzas out of my paycheck, I can't make any more deliveries today or until I have transportation so basically I lost one of my jobs, and now I need a new damn bike! And as if that wasn't bad enough, it started _raining_ and I didn't have an umbrella so I had to _walk_ this long ass distance to get to here and now I'm soaked!"

"Okay but the umbrella thing really isn't my fault though…" she pointed out, raising a brow as she crossed her arms in front of her chest.

"Can you please take this seriously?!" He thrust the damp piece of paper he'd been holding in her face. "Here. Take this!"

She took it, skimming over the numbers in boredom. "What the hell is this?"

"An invoice! This is how much you owe me for the pizzas and my bike! Reimburse me, you crazy woman! This is your fault!"

She barely had money to pay for her rent. What made him think she was going to pay him almost two hundred dollars for a fucking bike and some replaceable pizzas? He must have lost his goddamn mind…

"Dude, chill out and take a deep breath before you explode." Maya snorted, giving him an incredulous look. "What's your name?"

"Lucas Friar, and no, I will not chill out!" he said emphatically, the tips of his ears turning red from his anger. "How could you even begin to think it was okay for you to take someone's bike and then break it? You owe me a new bike!"

His little freak out made her want to laugh. She hadn't caught the slight country twang in his voice before when he'd first started talking, but now that he was talking pretty quickly and angrily, she was catching hints of an adorable little accent showing up in his voice. Actually, now that she was getting a pretty good look at him, he was pretty cute too.

"Look, Lucas. I'm sorry, but that ain't happening. It sucks that this happened to you, but look on the bright side. You helped the greater good. You were basically an aide in stopping a bank robbery. If it weren't for your valiant efforts in giving me your bike, I never would have stopped the burglar."

"That doesn't cut it! I need my bike to get to work and to classes, plus I'm a delivery boy. How can I deliver damn pizzas if I don't have any fucking transportation?! Plus there's the fact that you kicked me into a pond and _stole_ it despite the fact that I said no and impeded me from doing my work and then you promised you would bring it back and you went back on your word and on top of all that bullshit, you _wrecked_ my bike and that's not fair because what kind of person just does that to someone else? Today has just been one bad thing after another and you made my already bad day worse so thanks a lot you—"

Maya rolled her eyes in exasperation and grabbed the collar of his work polo, tugging him down sharply and shutting him up with a hard kiss. His words died in his throat with a sharp intake of breath, and he stiffened, going completely rigid. She kissed him slowly, provocatively, rising to her tiptoes and pressing herself flush against him. When she slid a hand to his jaw, angling her head to deepen the kiss, he made a small noise in the back of his throat, a hand falling to her waist as he kissed back. She smiled against his mouth, feeling proud of herself for managing to distract him so easily.

Maya pulled away from him slowly, tugging his lower lip in between her teeth before letting go and giving him a soft smile. Lucas held her gaze in shock, completely dazed, his mouth ajar and lips still a little bit puckered.

"So what you were saying about a bad day?" she asked, batting her eyelashes as she gently guided him backwards out of her apartment door.

"Umm… I… uh…" he stammered, completely flustered, a blush rising to his cheeks as he stared down at her. "I can't… I forgot…"

"Right, so what say you we put this behind us, huh? Ditch the invoice?" Maya grabbed a pen on her key stand, taking his arm and turning it upside down. She scribbled her number on his forearm. "Give me a call sometime. Let's go to a movie or something."

"…I uh… I guess so?" Lucas scratched the back of his head with a small, goofy smile on his lips. "Okay."

"Have a good night, Huckleberry." She winked, waving her fingers at him flirtatiously before shutting the door in his face.

She snickered to herself, trashing the invoice and walking back to her couch with her bowl of popcorn.

That was too easy.

* * *

There was silence as a teen girl with dirty blonde hair and her green eyed younger brother stared at their mother, flabbergasted looks on their faces.

"And that, kids, is how I made your father my bitch."


	77. Waiting For The Right Time

**A/N: Good morning!** **I started my part time again this week, so I'm going to be updating a little less of pretty much everything. But I'm also going back to updating most everything again instead of specific stories. As I thought, my mind cannot focus on one project at once without straying to other thoughts and ideas in another project. I feel like I got less productive trying to work on less at once because when I write all my stories at once, at least I'm writing every day.  
**

 **Hi Guest! Lol, I can see why you would think that about Maya. Does it help if I tell you Maya is a huge dom and Lucas is a serious sub in that oneshot universe? :3  
**

 **On queue:** **Spin the bottle (I swear I'll finish it for the next one)** **  
**

 **Enjoy! Thank you for the sweet reviews! You guys are so wonderful and I appreciate everything you have done for me! I thank you for always being so supportive and friendly! I love you guys so much! :D  
**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own GMW.**

* * *

 **Title: Waiting For The Right Time  
Pairings&Characters: Lucaya**  
 **Genre: An** **gst, WAFF/Fluff, Drama, Romance, Humor,** **AU** **  
Rating: T for Talks About Sex  
Summary: Lucas thinks they should wait to have sex. Maya disagrees.  
**

 **Request by Guest for Lucas having some old fashioned values regarding sex that Maya doesn't really understand. Okay this prompt lit my imagination on _fire_ the minute I read it! I just had to write it immediately! I had fun trying to come up with arguments for both sides that would fit with their characters. Thanks for your request! :3**

* * *

"Damn. If I have to sit through another one of those career choice speeches one more time, I might just punch out the speaker," Lucas muttered, plopping down on Maya's bed in exhaustion and kicking off his dress shoes. "Having to wear the formal clothing for every one of these events is a pain in the ass too."

"Well, we are six months from officially being seniors. And then it's off to the real world once we graduate," she said, untangling one of her dangly earrings from her hair before setting it in her jewellery box. "Gotta get used to adulating. Better sooner rather than later, right?"

"I guess," he said. "Sorry, I know we had plans to go out tonight, but they'll have to be cancelled."

Maya pulled off her heels, throwing them on the pile of other shoes littering her closet. "Well, I think I have a pretty good idea how to salvage this night."

"Oh yeah?" Lucas rose a brow in interest when Maya turned around to face him, a coquettish smirk on her lips. "And what's that?"

"Oh it's nothing really… It involves your lips and my lips…" She straddled his lap slowly with a flirtatious smile, her lower lip caught between her teeth as she gently tugged on his tie to bring him closer. "Maybe our tongues too if you're a good boy."

"That so?" he responded, loosely grasping her hips as he gazed up at her. "I kind of like the way this sounds."

She leaned down and closed the distance between their lips in a slow, heated kiss. It was heady, flames igniting between them as their mouths moved together, slowly driving each other insane. He slid his hands across the exposed parts of her back, stroking her skin and pulling her closer to him. Lucas kissed a languid path down her neck, sucking on the skin and relishing in the soft sounds Maya made.

His hands drifted down from her waist, cupping her ass as she shifted on his lap, settling fully on his arousal. Maya ground down on him, right on the hard heat she felt beneath her. She let out a soft, desperate moan as Lucas breathed out heavily, groaning when a ripple of pleasure from the friction shot through his body.

"Lucas…" she said breathlessly in his ear, tilting her head to give him more access. "I want you."

"Hmm?" he said noncommittally, kissing a path of hot, open-mouth kisses up her jaw before tugging on her lobe.

"Do you have any condoms?" Maya murmured, threading her fingers into his hair as she pressed himself closer to her.

Lucas paused, leaning back a bit with a frown. "Wait."

"What's wrong?" she said playfully. "Performance anxiety?"

"Har, har," Lucas deadpanned. "That's not it."

"If you don't have any condoms, it's fine," Maya said, peppering kisses along his jaw as she started unbuttoning his dress shirt. "I can buy some from the convenience store nearby really quickly. We have the room all weekend. Yindra is visiting family in Charlotte."

He stilled her hands. "I have a condom, but we're going a little bit too fast, don't you think?"

"No." She snorted, leaning back and giving him a quizzical look. "If you have a condom, stop playing and get it on. I want all your inches inside me right now."

"We just officially started dating two weeks ago," he said in disdain.

"But we've wanted each other for years. And the night ain't getting any younger so how about less talking and more mindblowing sex, huh?"

"Maya," Lucas said, his eyes narrowing. "I'm being serious."

"So am I. How can I make this any clearer to you? _This?_ Is Miss Cooter; she is saying hello," Maya said impatiently, gesturing to her crotch. "And Miss Cooter here is craving your c—"

"I understand what you're saying," Lucas interrupted, starting to get a little peeved by her nonchalance regarding this. "And I know how you want this to go tonight, but it's only because it's the heat of the moment and our hormones are high. And I know things have been getting a little intense between us lately, and I'm feeling the same way but—"

She rolled her eyes. "Get to the point, Huckleberry."

"I want to wait, Maya."

She blinked a couple times, staring at him in silent confusion like she hadn't heard him correctly. Then her nose wrinkled a bit in distaste, and she sat back, her hands sliding off his shoulders dejectedly.

"What, like until marriage?"

"I'm not necessarily saying I want to wait until marriage per se." His brows furrowed as he tried to articulate his personal thoughts towards the matter. "But I do want to wait until it's the _right_ time. I don't want our first time to be some random evening in a dorm room just because your roommate happens to be away for the weekend. It feels cheap that way. Sex shouldn't just be something that happens spur of the moment between us because we were hopped up on endorphins. It's something we should really think about and discuss at length first."

"I mean, what's there to discuss?" Maya frowned. "We're eventually going down this road anyway unless you plan to break up in the future. And both of us have already lost our virginities so what's wrong?"

"Maya, even if we do go down this road, it's _because_ we're not virgins and we didn't take it as seriously as we should have that I think we should wait. Sex is something special that should be shared between two people that love each other. I care so much about you Maya—don't get me wrong—and we've been friends for several years and I'm more comfortable with you than I have ever been with anyone else, but we're not at a point in our relationship yet where we can take a step this huge. It's not the right time."

"Then when is?"

"I don't know," he replied at length and Maya scoffed, shaking her head incredulously, "but it's not in the near future."

"Some arbitrary waiting time doesn't make a difference if you've already resolved to have sex with me in the future. So what exactly is the difference between now or later?" Her eyes narrowed suspiciously, hurt creeping into her gaze. "Or are you not sure you'll stick around for there to be a later? Is that what this is about?"

"No. Trust me, that's not it." Lucas tenderly cradled her cheeks to reassure her that he meant nothing bad at all. The last thing he wanted to do was make her feel insecure in their relationship. "I have faith we'll last, Maya. I just respect you too much to just hop right into bed with you so soon before our relationship has really been built up to all it can be with real intimacy."

"And I appreciate the fact that you respect me, Lucas, but I'm _telling_ you that I'm okay with us having sex right now. If you were any other guy, I wouldn't want to do this, but you're you. What part of that don't you get? I'm giving you permission."

Lucas sighed, a little aggravated by the argument. "Maya, you don't get it…"

"Of course I don't get it!" Maya stood up, getting off of his lap and running a hand through her hair in exasperation. She tugged her dress down from where it was bunched up at her hips. "Why are you so against this? What's the big deal with moving the time forward a bit? Your point is that we should wait until some random time _later_ to have sex, but you're not refuting that it's going to happen between us eventually anyway. So who cares if it's tonight? What's tonight versus two months or three months from now? We're still going to have sex. I'm ready for you. And you're clearly ready too if that boner I felt is any indication. Why can't we just go for it?"

"Alright. Let me put it this way, Maya," he said, trying again. "Some people consider sex as the main or _only_ important thing going into a relationship, right? And after sex happens, some of those relationships don't have enough of a real connection, so they don't last. Have you noticed how so many of our friends start relationships, hook up on their third or fourth dates and then break up in about a few weeks to a month. It's all about sex in these relationships. I don't want our relationship to get wrecked or become only about sex because we went too fast too early before we actually had the chance to forge an intimate romantic connection with each other."

He reached out and took Maya's hands in his, giving her a soft squeeze when she curled her hands into his, lacing their fingers together.

"All I'm saying is that some people go into relationships based on sex and some people's relationships end up revolving only around it, but I don't think it should be that way. I consider sex one of the very last milestones in a relationship. I want to get to know you even better first. _Really_ get to know you, who you are, what you love, everything about you. And I don't think we need to add sex to our relationship before we get there."

"You know," Maya said after a few seconds of silence, "sex is also a way to deepen a relationship with someone, Lucas. It's a way of showing intimacy when words aren't enough; a way to forge a deeper emotional and physical bond with someone you truly care about. If we had sex now, it wouldn't be meaningless; it'd only make us stronger."

"I understand that."

"I gave up my virginity to some rando I dated in high school who meant nothing to me. But since then, I haven't really felt a connection with anyone and haven't wanted to have sex with anyone I've dated. I've gone through boyfriends that only lasted about a month that went nowhere." She sat down beside him, smiling slightly. "Taking this step with you is a pretty big deal to me. A step like _this_ in a relationship that's gotten serious for me is confirmation in my heart that I know you're going to be someone hugely important in my life now and several years down the line. That's why I can confidently say that having sex with you now isn't going to change the way our relationship plays out in the future. It's only going to make my connection with you stronger."

"That's exactly what I'm talking about though, Maya. I also made a mistake not to wait with Paula, and we both regretted that decision so much because we hadn't built a strong enough relationship yet and once we got the sex out of the way, we had nothing. I don't want to be a mistake like that guy you were with in high school," Lucas explained, rubbing gentle circles on Maya's hand. "I want intimacy with you too, but it doesn't necessarily have to be sex. There are ways for us to deepen our relationship on a more personal level without having to go to home base, you know? Talking, spending time together, little things will help to build our relationship outside of having sex with each other."

"But I'm no good at talking about love and intimacy and things like that Lucas. Call it a side effect of my upbringing, but pretty words are full of empty promises. To me, actions mean way more. And I think sex and our physicality is a pretty good way for us to communicate love and share intimacy and our commitment to each other," Maya said earnestly. "I've had sex with a grand total of _two_ people. Both guys I was hesitant and waited because I didn't really feel like I had a real connection with them. But then there's _you_. I see you and I can picture a future with you already. And there's no hesitation whatsoever that I can give my all to you now, regardless of the fact that we've only been dating for a couple weeks."

"I feel the same about you, Maya, but I still think it's better for us to hold off on that."

Maya groaned loudly, slumping back on her bed. "I don't get you, you know? We spend so much time touching each other and kissing and we've fooled around a bit but when it comes to sex you're backing away? I'm literally saying that I want to give myself to you and only you. Yet you don't want to solidify what we have even though we both already know where our relationship will go in the future."

"I don't want to rush into it. And I want our first time to have more meaning behind it than just 'we were making out one evening and ended up hooking up'," Lucas repeated.

"So you've said," Maya grumbled dejectedly. "Meanwhile, I'm sitting here sexually frustrated because I didn't get any."

He chuckled, lying on his back beside her and watching her fondly. "You're special to me, Maya. Each day we spend together, I get even closer to falling irrevocably in love with you. And I don't want to mess this up because this is real and intense and losing you because of something trivial would probably wreck me."

Her breath caught and she turned to him, searching his eyes, a faint blush on her cheeks. "Lucas…"

"I want our first time to be special because I want it to mean something to you. If we end up not working out for whatever reason, I want you to remember me and our relationship and what we reached together as something significant in your life and not just some regretful number from the past."

He turned over onto his side, resting his head on his fist as he gazed down at Maya. His beautiful girlfriend. The girl who meant more to him than anyone ever could.

"I do want you, Maya. More than you could ever know. I mean I'm still a dorky guy who's horny for you and you're still so unbelievably sexy and beautiful and gorgeous and smart and everything I could ever want in a woman and more. Even now, I kind of want to tear off your dress with my teeth."

Maya snorted, nudging his shoulder playfully with her hand. Lucas reached over and tucked a loose strand of her hair behind her ear before cupping her cheek.

"But I want to wait with you. Not because I want to wait for the right person, since I already know it's you, but because I want my first time with my Mrs. Right to have value for the rest of our lives together. I don't know how long it'll be until I'm ready to take that step with you, but for now, I know I just want to wait until our relationship is the strongest it can be for our future. I respect any decisions you want to make now that you know, and if you feel like that's not good enough for you, I understand. But I'm not compromising my belief about sex between us."

Maya didn't say anything for several seconds, chewing on her lower lip pensively and staring at him with furrowed brows, looking like she was debating something in her mind. After a few more seconds of Lucas waiting with baited breath, Maya finally sighed, rolling her eyes in fond exasperation.

"Fine. I get what you're saying. I still think we should screw each others' brains out sooner rather than later, but I understand your reasoning, and I respect your wishes. I want our relationship to work out, and if you feel that waiting is the best chance for that, yeah, we can wait." She smiled. "I guess I should consider myself lucky that I have a boyfriend who values our relationship this much. So thank you for caring."

He returned her smile. "I appreciate it, Maya."

"So. What are the parameters for this whole waiting thing, because I'll be honest. I can wait for sex and all that jazz, but you making out with me shirtless is going to make that damn hard." Lucas chuckled as she rolled over into him, nestling into the groove his body made and toying with the unopened buttons on his shirt. "And I _do_ have needs I can't give up in a relationship, Lucas. Plus I can only keep my hands off of you for so long. Is oral included in this temporary abstinence thing?"

"To be honest, I'm not totally sure if we went that far that we'd be able to control ourselves. You see what happens with a little dry humping. You were so ready to rip off my pants and shove a condom on me and we barely made out."

Maya laughed. "True."

"I think waiting on most of that stuff until we are deeply in love so we're not trivializing sex or making light of its importance is the best bet."

"Urgh and all I wanted was to get fucked by my hot boyfriend tonight. Instead he says the bank is closed," Maya said dejectedly. "I'm agreeing to this because I care about you a lot, but I just want you to remember that sex is an affirmation for _me_ about our connection and where our relationship is going. So this whole abstinence thing between us isn't going to be easy for me at all."

"I understand."

"We'll have to talk about this again someday. Redefine the terms."

"And we will." He stroked her lower back gently. "We'll lay it all on the table and discuss it again and again until we figure it completely out so both of us can get what we want out of our relationship."

"I just had to get the dorky boyfriend who wants to wait. But... you're worth it, Lucas," she said, resting her head in the crook between his head and shoulder and slipping an arm around him. "Also I'm super horny right now. What are you going to do about it since it's your fault?"

"Well..." Lucas murmured, trailing his fingers slowly down her leg and watching as goosebumps rose on her skin. "Some attractive blonde short little stack of pancakes once told me I'm good with my fingers. Maybe I can help you out, ma'am."

He winked, tipping his fake cowboy hat and then started tickling her. Maya yelped before dissolving into laughter, kicking her legs and pushing on his shoulders to get him to stop.

" _Huckleberry_! Lucas stop!" she gasped for breath, squealing again and trying to escape his clutches. "I give up!"

She managed to sit up, nearly escaping her bed, but Lucas caught her wrist and pulled her back down, wrapping both arms around her waist to keep her from leaving. They lay there calmly for a few moments, Maya's breathing settling as she relaxed in his arms, her own arms resting on top of his.

"Maya," he said, nuzzling her hair a bit. "Thank you for understanding."

She rotated in his arms so she was facing him and cupped his jaw, stroking his cheeks with her thumbs.

"Thank you for being a caring boyfriend."

Lucas leaned forward, kissing her softly, Maya smiling against his lips.


	78. Surprise?

**A/N: Q** **uestion: if I ended up writing a long oneshot that was about 60-80K words, would that be seriously annoying to read if I kept it as a oneshot and didn't split it up into chapters?  
**

 **Hey Guest! I see AU!Mayas in two different ways depending on her background in the AU. I also think Maya would be pretty cautious and conscientious about sex and who she has it with. But on the other hand, there's a version of Maya who I also think could potentially be blasé about it and become uninterested in real intimacy. In the actual show though, I definitely think she'd be careful about it and would want to wait until she's with someone she really loves.**

 **On queue:** **Spin the bottle (Still working on it, but it's going to be combined with other ones now)** **  
**

 **Enjoy! Thank you for your patience with me and your kind remarks and sweet comments. I know slow updates and my long absence to respond are disconcerting, but I'm heavily bogged down with school and work and don't have much free time this term. These oneshots are just about all I have time for right now. As for the many requests, if I still haven't gotten to yours, don't worry. I'm redoubling my efforts to get to them because you guys have been so patient and awesome waiting for me! :D  
**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own GMW.**

* * *

 **Title: Surprise?  
Pairings&Characters: Married!Lucaya**  
 **Genre:** **Romance, WAFF/Fluff,** **An** **gst, Humor,** **AU** **  
Rating: K+ for Keema Curry Spice (I'm running out of K words...)  
Summary: Maya has some good news and bad news.  
**

 **Request by Hotpotsunday for a Married!Lucaya scene. I'm assuming you meant just a slice-of-life, day in the life of Lucaya type thing. Thank you for your request, love! :3**

 **Request by SnugThe Joiner for something super fluffy with Lucaya as an actual couple goofing off together. Does it matter if they're married? If you wanted them as just bf/gf, then just request this again, and I can use your prompt again later! Thank you for your request :D**

* * *

"Maya?" Lucas called out as he shut the front door of their apartment.

He was exhausted. His temp job had been a nightmare, not to mention his search for a position at another clinic hadn't gone well at all. It was like no one had a demand for any veterinarians recently, and it was starting to take its toll on Lucas' psyche. His mother had warned him about the availability for jobs and difficulty getting employed, but he'd brushed aside the concern.

As he set his coat on the rack near the door, his nose caught wind of an enticing scent, and he headed over to the kitchen curiously. Maya was standing in front of the stove in the frilly purple apron that he was sure Riley must have gotten her, bobbing her head slightly in time to whatever she was listening to. She was cutting up onions on the chopping board as he walked into the kitchen, rubbing her eyes with the sleeve of her shirt every few seconds and clearly trying to fight her tears from the stinging pain. There was a box of uncooked pasta on the counter and another covered pot on the stove puffing out steam every few seconds.

Lucas watched Maya as she swivelled her hips in time to the song and mouthed the lyrics, a small smile growing on his face as she goofed off. There was a splatter of tomato sauce on her cheek and a little on her nose, but she didn't seem to notice it at all. Coming home to his short little stack of pancakes was a breath of fresh air.

He wrapped his arms around her waist, holding her close and nuzzling her hair. She pulled an earphone out of her ear and glanced over her shoulder with a smile.

"You're home early."

"Babe, you are a sight for sore eyes…" Lucas murmured, dropping a soft kiss on her waiting lips.

She hummed in pleasure, smiling against his lips. "Rough day?"

"This job hunt isn't easy. You would think that there'd be an endless necessity for vets with tons of clinical experience."

"Why don't you do private practice?" she asked, turning back to the steam pan to shake up its contents a bit.

Lucas sighed, resting his chin on Maya's head. "I haven't established myself enough yet in the professional world. But I can't get more well-known without more patients so now I'm at an impasse. Did you buy water?"

"Fridge," Maya replied, sliding the onions into the biggest pot before mixing it. "You'll get a job soon, I'm sure. You've got great credentials."

"Thanks." He let go of Maya, walking over to the fridge to grab a bottle of water. "I hope so."

"Well…" she drew out the word, gesturing to the stove top. "I've got a treat for you that'll make the whole day better."

He rose a brow, glancing at her over his shoulder in amusement. "What, a trip to the ER because you decided to cook?"

"Very funny, Huckleberry. I found this recipe and—"

"—had Zay come over earlier to make this and pretend like you made it? Where is he hiding?"

Maya chucked a couple strands of uncooked pasta at him, and Lucas dodged them by ducking behind the refrigerator door, laughing at her irritated response.

"Stop it! I'm serious. This is going to be great."

He straightened as he shut the fridge. "Well I appreciate the effort you're making. I know how much you hate cooking."

"I figured it would be time to start since you're working that temp job and all your hours keep you away from making me food," she said, taking the lid off the frying pan and checking on the meat.

Lucas chuckled, uncapping the water and taking a long swig before walking over to Maya and peering over her head at what she was making. Steamed broccoli, ground beef, a pot boiling for water, tomato sauce for the pasta, and all sorts of spices dusted over the surfaces she must have used that she hadn't bothered cleaning up yet. It was messier than Lucas liked whenever he cooked, but this was the real deal. She wasn't just going to make ramen noodles, pop an egg in there and call it a day.

"You know, I'm beginning to feel like the only reason you married me is because you wanted someone to cook for you," he finally said.

"This comes as a surprise to you? I thought I warned you when we first started dating," Maya responded with a smirk. "Food is the only way to my heart."

"You also told me and I quote that you'd never be able to be with me because you couldn't stand healthy food crap. Look where we are now."

"Shush you." She scooped a bit of the red sauce from the large pot with the mixing spoon and held it up to him. "Taste it."

"Is it safe?" he teased, leaning his hip against the counter and tucking a short strand of hair behind her ear. Maya hated how short her hairdresser had accidentally cut her hair, but Lucas liked the way the short waves fell against her face. "You didn't mix up the sugar and salt again did you?"

She narrowed her eyes. "I can't stand you. It happened one time and now you won't let me live it down. Now taste it before I force this down your throat."

"I will if you feed it to me from your mouth…" he said playfully, lifting her chin up with one finger.

She swatted his hand away with a scowl, though he could see the smile pushing on her face. " _Lucas_."

"Alright, alright." Maya watched him expectantly as he bent down and put the spoon in his mouth, tasting what she'd made. It had an interesting flavour, a little spicy like he liked it, but not too overpowering that the heat detracted from the taste. "Not bad. What'd you put in it?"

"Nutmeg and garlic and some random thing on sale I found at the grocery store called keema curry spice. And I know you like a kick, so I put cayenne in it too."

"Maya, it's great." He kissed her cheek and a proud, triumphant grin grew on her face. She was so cute. "So what's the occasion? I know you wouldn't cook unless it was for a really good reason or to celebrate something."

"Well…" she hesitated and tapered off, stirring the sauce in silence for a few seconds. "I went to the doctor today spur of the moment, just to get a couple of things checked out. I've been feeling a little weird at night recently. Usually after… you know."

"Weird how? Did I do something to make you uncomfortable? I can stop."

"No. That's perfect. Don't change that. I've just been a little queasy, I guess?" she said absentmindedly, clearing avoiding his gaze. "I uh… I thought it'd be a good idea to get a blood test."

Her words made Lucas pause mid swig, his brows furrowing in concern. There was only one implication with those words and suddenly he grew nervous. She couldn't be, could she?

"Are you going where I think you're going with this?" he asked slowly, setting his water down and scrutinizing Maya's reaction.

She pretended to focus her attention on the food, though Lucas knew she was purposely keeping her gaze away from his. "I don't know. Where do you think I'm going with this?"

"That… you're uh, pregnant?"

"Hmm." She turned the heat for the pan down to a gentle simmer. "What evidence supports that theory?"

"You've got quite the appetite recently," he supplied, realizing how much she really did keep snacking.

She frowned. "I always have an appetite. Wanting to eat doesn't equate pregnancy, Lucas."

"That's not what I meant. You're just eating more than usual and it shows."

He winced as soon as the words came out of his mouth in a way he hadn't intended. It sounded really bad, and his suspicions that he'd said the wrong thing were validated when Maya shot him a frigid glare out of the corner of her eyes.

"What? Let me guess. Next you're going to tell me that you're not okay with me gaining weight?"

"No, I promise that's not what I meant. What I was trying to say was that I've noticed you _eating_ more than usual. But even if you did gain weight, it wouldn't matter to me, Maya. You'll always be beautiful to me." He cupped her cheeks, smiling apologetically. She was still eyeing him in slight annoyance, though the frost in her eyes had disappeared. "It's just that you've been doing some weird spontaneous things you never usually wanted to do. Like cooking. Plus you've been a little forgetful recently."

And there was the fact that they had been pretty lax with protection more often than not if he really thought about it. He couldn't remember the last time they'd used a condom.

"And you think _that's_ sufficient to determine whether or not I could be pregnant?" Maya snorted in amusement, turning towards the boiling water in the pot on the far right. "Pasta."

Lucas broke the long strands in two and put them in the pot. "Kind of. People don't just get random blood tests."

"People get blood tests for lots of reasons. Anaemia, certain kinds of cancer or diabetes, school physicals, STDs, checking for certain vaccinations acting in the blood. And of course, validation of pregnancy is on that list too," she listed as she mixed the pasta sauce once more and tasted a bit of it.

He sighed, knowing Maya was doing this just to mess with him. She was stalling for some reason. He watched her in silence for a few moments as she focused on her cooking, wondering if her behaviour _was_ evidence of pregnancy.

"Are you? Pregnant, I mean."

She glanced at him briefly before turning back to their dinner.

"If I am, how would you react to the news?"

"…I would be happy that my wife and I are having a child."

And he would. He wanted nothing more than to expand his family with Maya and raise a child with her. It'd been a dream of his ever since he had fallen deeply, deeply in love with the blonde menace. But now wouldn't be the best time for that to happen. Not while he still didn't have a steady job secured in place. Babies were expensive and they required time and energy and full attention—all things that Lucas couldn't provide right now.

"But…?"

"But we are nowhere near ready for a baby yet. I'm still searching for a full time job, not to mention the fact that I'm too busy all the time with this temp job to even see my wife, let alone a baby. And there's the fact that I've got student loans from vet school up to my ears I haven't put a dent in yet. And then there's also you."

"What about me?"

"You've got that great fellowship for Pratka's gallery that takes up most of your time, and you're supporting the both of us since I'm not really working, but supporting a baby on top of that is going to be hard for you. I'm just thinking of the difficulties and expenses."

Maya picked up a strand of pasta in the pot with a fork, watching as the cooked piece slipped right back down into the water. She cut off the heat, waiting for the water to stop bubbling so she could drain it.

"You're definitely right about that," she admitted quietly. "We realistically can't handle a baby right now."

"Right," Lucas said, reaching up and taking the strainer from the hook above the stove.

She nodded, picking up the pot and following Lucas over to the sink. "So do you still want to hear my news?"

"I guess." He held the strainer steady as Maya poured the contents of the pot inside. The inside of the sink erupted in steam as the hot water hit the surface. "How was the visit?"

"There's good and bad news, Lucas," she said cryptically. "Which one do you want first? Good news? Or bad news?"

"Alright… bad news."

"The bad news is that even though all my vitals are functioning properly, my iron was alarmingly low and blood sugar was pretty low too so now I have to take these supplements and they might make me a little moodier. Plus my diet is going to undergo a drastic change to help with the iron deficiency. And the supplements aren't that cheap either."

That wasn't as bad as he expected. And at least Maya was for the most part healthy which was a relief.

He frowned. "Then the good news is…?"

"I kind of sort of accidentally got into a little fender bender with your car coming out of my spot and ended up hitting the director of the hospital."

She set the empty pot into the sink and turned away to grab the serving dishes. Lucas stared at her in disbelief, blinking in confusion at her nonchalance.

"You _hit_ a man with my car?! How the hell is that good news? Is he alive?"

"I didn't hit _him_ , Lucas." She rolled her eyes, getting plates from one of the cabinets before opening a drawer to get silverware. "I hit his car that he happened to be inside, and it was a really expensive vintage Mercedes Benz type thing and he got a little pissed—okay a lot pissed—so then I owed him like five thousand for repairs."

Lucas was sure he was going to pass out.

"We only have about ten thousand in our savings, Maya…"

"Yeah and under normal circumstances, in a situation like this, we should totally pack our bags, leave the country and never return." She laughed as she took out the tacky chicken shaped serving bowl Katy had given them as a wedding present years ago.

"That's not funny," he said crossly, shaking out the strainer one for time before dumping the pasta into their glass serving bowl. "Maya, am I missing something? Where is the good news in all of this?"

"The good news is that I don't have to pay him back. I told him about the clinic closing and your search for a new job and our financial struggles and my stressful hospital visit and he was sympathetic. And he dropped the charges."

Lucas felt relieved that nothing worse had happened.

"That's great." They'd barely dodged a bullet. "But you need to be more careful. You got lucky this time."

"But the takeaway here is that everything is all good. Don't fret, Lucas. We'll be fine and things will work out. Just like we'll be fine when our baby arrives. Do you think this sauce could use some paprika? I don't want to drown out the natural flavour of the tomatoes by putting too much, you know? But I feel like I should be more rambunctious. What do you think?" Maya said quickly, turning towards the pot.

He froze, turning to Maya in alarm. "What did you just say?"

She'd sped through her words to the point that Lucas may have missed a bit of it, but he was certain he'd heard her correctly. Which meant…

"Should I be more rambunctious?" she repeated.

"Before that."

"I think I should put more paprika."

"I'm talking about the part where I'm certain you mentioned a _baby_ that you somehow glossed over in your news!"

She was silent for a little while as she tasted the sauce once more. Satisfied, Maya cut the oven before giving Lucas a sheepish look.

"Oh yeah, I forgot to mention. I'm pregnant, Lucas. Surprise?"


	79. Not Quite Over You

**A/N: Hey Kitty! I can't write that particular one from Maya's POV, pardon! But if you have another request, I'd be happy to write that instead?  
**

 **On queue:** **period piece AU, coffee shop AU, or angst? your pick** **  
**

 **Enjoy! Thank you guys for your responses and kind comments! I know it's been a while, and I've been pretty tied down to my commitments, but I've got a little more time to write now! I missed you guys a lot; I hope things have been going well in your lives. This past year has undeniably been crazy (and probably the worst one I've ever had), but I hope that you guys have been safe and are doing well. Here's to hoping for 2017 to be a better year :)  
**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own GMW.**

* * *

 **Title: Not Quite Over You  
Pairings&Characters: Rucas, Lucaya (possibly unrequited/onesided?), Smarkle, ****Maya,** **Lucas, Riley, Zay, Smackle, Farkle**  
 **Genre:** **Friendship** **,** **Angst,** **Humor, Romance (ish),** **AU** **/canon  
Rating: T for Tamped Down Tension  
Summary: There's no such thing as an innocent game of spin the bottle.  
**

 **Request by Fearlessforever AKA Fearless for Spin the Bottle game with the gang while Corpanga and Auggie are away. This prompt reminded me of crazy junior high days lol. Thanks for your request! :3  
**

 **Request by Guest for fic where Lucas and Maya discover they still have feelings for each other. Your prompt might appear in more than one story because the possibilities for angst with this are enormous! Thank you for you request, love :)**

* * *

"Mmhmm! Okay. Yeah, we have candles and I think there are some flashlights in my closet," Riley said into the receiver of her cellphone. "Yeah, we'll be safe. I love you too. Bye!"

She hung up the phone, and Zay turned expectantly to her, looking a little anxious. Farkle finished lighting the last candle on the kitchen table and also turned around to wait for Riley to relay the verdict of her conversation.

"Well? What did your parents say?" he asked.

"They said you're all welcome to stay here as long as you like until the storm clears up. But my dad said no teenage shenanigans," she responded cheerfully, giving them a reassuring smile as she grabbed a cookie from the plate on the coffee table. Riley plopped back down on the couch. "We're on our own since they're stranded at the airport, but they left food money in the pantry in case we need to order food."

Maya looked past the curtains of the bay window at the storm raging outside. She could barely see the street below because of how intensely the snow was cascading down, flying around in swirls and painting the sky in billowing white speckles.

"It looks bad," Lucas muttered, looking outside over her head. "Think we'd be able to walk to a convenience store to get snacks or something?"

Maya shook her head as she stared out at the darkened street, no lights illuminating a single part of it. It looked pitch black out there. "Too dark. Not to mention, the nearest convenience store is probably out of power too. I think we're trapped here."

"Trapped in the same vicinity as you? What kind of punishment is this?" he teased, and Maya rolled her eyes, snorting at his comment.

She glanced up at him with a smirk. "That's my line, Huckleberry."

They stood by the window and watched the wild weather outside for a moment. Maya wondered when the year had gone by so quickly. It felt like just yesterday had been the beginning of their junior year, but now it was already almost Christmas, and before they knew it, junior year would be over and then would come the last year of high school.

"You know…" Lucas started, drawing her out of her reverie.

"Hmmm?" she asked, a little distracted by her inner thoughts.

"I thought you weren't going to come tonight," he said, wincing a bit. "You'd been avoiding us—well, me—for a while."

She turned around on the bay window to face him, feigning ignorance, though she grew nervous. "What makes you say that?"

"Well, hanging out has been kind of awkward. Since you know…"

Since he'd started dating Riley.

Truthfully, she _had_ avoided hanging out with the group for a little while, mostly because she felt awkward liking the guy her best friend was dating. But she liked to think she no longer was struggling with that issue. She'd pushed Lucas out of her mind after all, and she could talk to him without wanting to kiss him, so she assumed it meant she was ready to get back to the way things had been before she fell for him.

Maya shrugged nonchalantly. "I mean, things will go totally back to normal eventually. And look, we're not being awkward now, are we?"

"I guess not." He smiled. "Glad we're friends again then."

"Yeah. Me too," she said, though she tried not to think about the voice in the back of her mind telling her she was displeased with his comment.

"Do you think anything is open?" Zay asked the two of them.

"No. And I don't think we'll be able to order food either," Maya said in response, nearly jumping when the wind from the blizzard thumped the window. A potted plant got knocked off the balcony and it disappeared over the edge of the railing. "It's too high. The cars are buried in snow. I doubt any takeout places will be open anymore."

Maya sighed, shutting the curtains and ambling over to the kitchen to see if there was anything already cooked that they could eat.

They had come over to Riley's for pre-Christmas cookie baking for the first snow fall of the new school year. It was a tradition they'd started years ago, and no way were any of them going to miss it, regardless of the warnings of inclement weather on the news. Cory and Topanga had left for the airport earlier that day to go to Hawaii for winter break, and Auggie went to Dewey's for a playdate. Everything had been fine and dandy, but the snow had grown steadily worse as the evening continued. The blizzard had taken New York by storm in a way far worse than anticipated and before they knew it, a powerline got knocked down and they'd been thrown into darkness.

Thankfully, Topanga stored tons of candles in the storage closet, and so they'd lit them up, but the power blowout had put an unexpected end to their festivities. And here they were, trying to figure out what to eat now that dinner hour was passing.

"Well, we have plenty of cookies," Zay suggested, leaning back on his hands and jutting his chin towards the assortment of decorative holiday cookies on the coffee table.

"I would prefer pizza for sustenance," Smackle responded crossly, rubbing her temples. She sank down on the ottoman, a small, defeated pout on her face. "Don't you have anything meaty?"

"Sorry, Smackle. Just cookies and ice cream apparently," Farkle said, coming up by Maya. She scooted over so he could take a look at the available food. "The rest of the stuff here requires some sort of heat which we don't have because there's no electricity."

"No sandwich stuff? Not even fruit?" Lucas asked incredulously as he took his place on the couch next to Riley.

"We haven't restocked yet." Riley shrugged, leaning forward to take another frosting-coated sugar cookie. "Guys, we have to leave the fridge closed so the cold air doesn't escape and the milk doesn't rot. Who knows when the power will return?"

Maya shut the fridge door and walked over with Farkle to the rest of the group reclining in the living room area. She sat down near the couch, resting her back against it and hugging her knees to her chest.

"So then what now? We can't do anything with the power out."

Zay yawned loudly, laying back completely on the carpet and staring at the ceiling. "We could play a card game. Poker anyone?"

"I don't know how to play," Farkle said. "And I don't really want to learn right now."

Lucas wrapped an arm around Riley's shoulder when she snuggled into his side. "You know, when I used to volunteer at that old animal farm out in a rural county—"

"Oh, _this_ should be good," Maya quipped playfully, adopting her preferred country accent when teasing him. "More about Huckleberry's life out in the cow pastures, muckin' manure and ridin' horses through the tumbleweeds in the good ole Texas country."

"Maya, be nice." Riley giggled.

"It's okay, Riley," Lucas said in a similar snarky tone. "I know she only makes fun of me because that's how she shows her affection."

Zay laughed, nudging Maya's foot with his.

"Can it," Maya grumbled, giving Zay a dirty look out of the corner of her eye. "I am not _affectionate_ towards you."

"If you can't take the heat…" Lucas singsonged.

Maya opted for flipping him a bird, only because she couldn't think of a good enough retort at the moment.

"Anyway, what I was saying was on that farm, we didn't have electricity—"

"Wait, are you talking about Old Man Rickett's place?" Zay asked in realisation. "We used to go there on field trips in primary school!"

"Yeah that place. I volunteered there in the summer to help with the animals. It's the only place that didn't have a minimum age requirement."

"I'm surprised it's still around. It's been years," Zay mused. "I should pay my respects before he croaks."

"That's morbid, Zay," Riley said with a frown.

"Why would you want to volunteer on a farm without electricity?" Farkle asked incredulously. "What do you even do there?"

"Well, we—"

"Right?" Smackle scoffed in disgust. "In an age with endless technology that requires electricity, why would you willingly subject yourself to that kind of torture?"

"Exactly, and being so far from the city, what modern amenities can you use?" Farkle pointed out.

"And where do you use the restroom? An outhouse?"

"No, you're thinking of the wild west, Maya," Riley corrected. "This is a farm."

"Right."

"I mean, the food you get is fresh though. There's nothing better than fresh squeezed milk or roasted corn that was just picked," Zay responded.

"Fresh squeezed milk?" Smackle's nose wrinkled. "I thought FDA said people aren't allowed to drink unpasteurised milk?"

"You can take a few sips. It's very sweet."

"Huh, I'd like to try it," Riley said, turning to Lucas. "Take me one day?"

"Sure, but you have to be prepared to put in work to earn your stay on the farm."

Farkle shuddered. "I wouldn't want to go. Getting E. Coli or Salmonella or some kind of deadly bacterial infection isn't really my cup of tea."

"And don't forget the hot sun beating down on you day in and day out and frying your skin," Maya added, shaking her head at the thought of having to spend hours working in unbearable heat. "Sounds like multiple sunburns waiting to happen."

"And manual labour? Urgh, forget it. Riley, your boyfriend is so lame," Smackle stated, and Maya and Zay started laughing when Lucas glared at them. He looked like he was fed up with them all. "Handsome, maybe even a little studly, but lame."

Lucas sighed, rolling his eyes in exasperation. "My point was that we farm hands used to sit around the fire and tell each other stories about our lives on late nights. Just talk, you know. We should do that—"

" _Pass_." They all said at the same time, shaking their heads at his suggestion.

"Nobody is interested in hearing about you birthing that baby horse anymore, Howdy Doody. It's time to put that story to bed," Maya drawled, taking off the puff of the hat of a Kris Kringle cookie and popping it in her mouth. "Stop recycling your pickup lines."

"I wasn't going to…" Lucas slumped back against the couch in exasperation when Zay and Farkle cracked up. "I don't know why I bother giving suggestions to you guys anymore."

"You know what we need? We need our attention grabbed. We need entertainment. We need fun. We need something juvenile and exciting and something to take our minds off of this snowstorm," Riley exclaimed, slowly rising to her feet. "We need a _game_."

"Not some drab board game," Zay commented, avoiding the sprinkles Maya kept flicking at him. "They get boring so fast."

"We need…" Riley's brows lifted as she gasped. "We need Spin the Bottle!"

That got their attention. They all looked up at Riley who was practically bouncing on her toes and giggling in excitement. Farkle's face fell, his brows furrowing in distaste.

"Great idea!" Zay said. "The tension of not knowing who you'll get, the mystery, the fun. I like it."

"What is Spin the Bottle?" Smackle asked curiously.

"It's a fun party game in which you spin a bottle. The two people who the bottle lands on have to kiss or makeout or whatever the rules are that the particular group decides."

Smackle's expression turned a little devious. "It's a kissing game?"

"Absolutely! Anything and anyone goes."

" _Anyone_?" Her glasses glinted as she pushed them up her nose.

"That's right. _Anyone_."

"…Riley, this sounds like a bad idea waiting to happen," Lucas said a little anxiously.

Riley pouted. "Aww, but Lucas. I've never played before and we're all bored."

"Let's up the stakes," Zay rubbed his hands together mischievously. "Seven minutes in heaven!"

"Yes!" Riley exclaimed, pointing at Zay. "Now there's a good idea!"

"No way," Lucas objected, shaking his head vehemently. "I object."

Farkle shifted uncomfortably. "I agree. Seven minutes of making out with someone who isn't my girlfriend? No thanks."

Smackle shrugged her shoulders. "Honestly, I don't really mind. I think it could be fun."

"What?" Farkle's eyes narrowed. "You're not supposed to be okay with anyone other than me kissing you, Smackle."

"Yeah, but this is the 21st century. Unexclusive relationships are in. And it's all in good fun," Smackle responded, her lips curving up into a slow smile as she stared at Lucas.

He shifted his gaze away, rubbing the back of his head nervously when Farkle shot him a glare.

"Exactly. It's part of the fun, Farkle," Riley said, running to the recycling bin in the kitchen and grabbing an empty wine bottle from the top of pile. "You don't know who you could get."

"True, but that's a recipe for disaster, don't you think?" Lucas said emphatically. "It could end really badly."

"Then we'll shorten it to three," Zay said, "so it's not as intense."

Riley nodded vigorously. "I like it!"

"I object to seven minutes in heaven overall," Farkle argued. "I think this game is childish and we shouldn't lower our standards for entertainment just because of a little boredom."

Riley took hold of the coffee table, shifting it closer to the TV so they could have more space to play on the carpet. "Spin the bottle isn't that big a deal. It's just a little bit of kissing. No harm, no foul."

"Yes harm, yes foul!" Farkle said, gesturing wildly to Smackle who was rubbing chapstick on her puckered lips. "Do you not see this?!"

"Yeah but it's three to two, unless Maya votes against playing it," Riley stated matter of factly. Maya resisted the urge to roll her eyes when they all turned to face her expectantly. Farkle gave her a particularly pleading look not to agree. "Maya? What do you think, yay or nay?"

Honestly, she didn't think it was a good idea to play Spin the Bottle. At least not with _this_ group in particular. She wasn't opposed to raucous fun, but four out of the six of them were in relationships with each other, and games like Spin the Bottle usually ended with hurt feelings and distrust between couples. The last thing she wanted was for any boats to get rocked, especially after everything had finally gone back to normal.

But then again, they were all bored. And she couldn't think of anything else that could be fun, considering they couldn't do much in the dark. Besides, it wasn't like it would mean anything, and a couple of small rounds could satiate their boredom.

Ah, to hell with it.

"I think… as long as nobody crosses boundaries, it should be fine."

"Four against two! We win!" Riley shouted. "Hah!"

Lucas shook his head as Smackle and Zay cheered and Riley jumped up and down in excitement. "You guys are definitely going to regret this."

"Okay, but if this is happening, we need rules then," Farkle said glumly. "No French kissing, no other physical contact but lips. Keep it as impersonal as possible."

"C'mon… that is so boring." Zay rolled his eyes. "If we're doing Spin the Bottle, we're doing it with the stakes. Cheap pecks don't count."

"Farkle," Riley whined, "I've never played this game with friends before and I really want this to be wild and fun! Don't you want to know what a real game of Spin the Bottle is like?"

"Plus, her dad isn't home," Maya pointed out. "Seems like a perfect opportunity to get up to teenage shenanigans to me."

"Exactly!"

"Urgh fine…" Farkle relented, grumbling under his breath. "No longer than ten seconds. But just know I am not happy about this."

"I mean, what's the worst that could happen? It's just one little innocent game of Spin the Bottle." Smackle plopped down in front of the love seat, crossing her legs eagerly for the game to begin.

"Hey…" Zay said slowly, waggling his eyebrows, "you know what would make this game even more fun…"

" _No alcohol,"_ they all said at the same time, giving him stern looks.

"Alright, alright…" he chuckled. "Geez, a guy streaks in the park once…"

"If it's any consolation," Maya whispered, leaning closer to him, "I thought it was pretty funny."

They all shifted out of their spots and off the couches to settle in a small circle around the bottle Riley placed at the centre. It wasn't lost on Maya that they were all acting like a bunch of excitable children, but it was fun to watch each other have to kiss people they normally wouldn't kiss.

It was especially fun when Farkle spun and got Zay, and Zay crawled playfully seductive towards him, crooking a finger at him. Maya thought Farkle was going to pass out, his face got so red, but he closed the distance between them, planting his lips on Zay's hard. They all winced when they heard the clack of teeth against teeth.

"See?" Riley said when they pulled away, "That wasn't so bad now was it?"

Farkle shrugged, though he still didn't look particularly comfortable. "I guess not."

"Speak for yourself," Zay muttered, rubbing his bruised lips. "You weren't the one who nearly got impaled by teeth."

Smackle spun the bottle next and it landed on Zay.

"Quit complaining and pucker up," she said, smacking her lips as she puckered them. "But I must warn you, Isaiah. My prowess in kissing might leave you catatonic. I've done extensive research on this particular topic, and you will be my guinea pig."

He laughed, though Maya definitely caught the nervous tilt to his grin. She nudged him playfully.

"Getting nervous, Zay?" Lucas said, chuckling over Zay's obvious anxiety.

"Look at her!" He gestured to Smackle as she approached. "She's cracking her knuckles!"

"No harm, no foul, right?" Farkle reiterated, looking quite pleased with himself.

Before Zay could say anything else, Smackle grabbed the lapel of his shirt and yanked him forward. He squawked in surprise, and they all laughed as Zay's eyes grew wide as Smackle all but basically ate his face. When they broke apart, Zay looked shell-shocked and scandalised, and Smackle had this look of smug satisfaction on her face.

"I feel like I was just attacked by a pack of mountain lions…"

It was hilarious, and they all cracked up at Zay's dramatics.

Until Lucas spun and got Maya.

Suddenly, they all grew quiet, and Maya could feel the awkward shift in the air. It was as if every one of them realised at the same time that in their haste to play this game, nobody had thought about who exactly could end up kissing who. Everyone looked away, suddenly interested in anything other than Maya, Lucas, or Riley. Maya froze, her smile dropping as she stared at the offending object pointing towards her. Her eyes lifted and met Lucas' first. He was staring at her in trepidation, the same thoughts clearly going through his head as well. She felt her cheeks flush, and her stomach flipped in her body.

The worst thing that could happen had happened.

Maya turned to Riley with a smile that felt like a grimace on her face. "Uh, we don't have to do this if you don't want us to Riley."

The others were deathly silent during the whole exchange, looking like they really regretted choosing to play this game now.

After all, Lucas and Maya were the only two who had a "history" in the past and had gotten each other. She didn't really have a thing with Lucas anymore, but that didn't mean that what they'd shared in the past suddenly disappeared. Especially with 'what ifs' that were still lingering in the air between them. What ifs that had to do with kissing in particular.

And especially because the worst part was that Maya had actually fantasized about kissing Lucas before in the privacy of her own mind where it was okay to let her imagination soar. But this was real life, and she didn't see a way this could end well.

Riley smiled a little tightly. "No, it's okay. You guys are _just_ friends and just because you had a thing in the past doesn't mean that it's still there, right?"

"Uh… Right." Maya nodded, twiddling her thumbs. This wasn't fun anymore.

"Besides. Rules are rules in this game. So kiss, you two! You have my permission!" Riley said in finality.

Maya glanced up and met Lucas' gaze again. His expression was too difficult to read, but he looked pretty unamused if she really thought about it. Or rather than unamused, he looked pained, like he usually did when he and Maya tried to goof off or joke around like they used to, but felt kind of awkward about it.

All she knew was that she started to sweat when she crawled to the inner circle as he moved to meet her half way. There was an apology in his gaze as he smiled slightly—kind of anxiously—at her. She swallowed hard when their eyes met and quickly shut hers, trying to drown out the hammering of her heart in her ears. She could feel his soft breaths on her lips as he drew closer and braced herself for something she wasn't even sure what she was bracing herself for.

He closed the space between their lips, pressing his to hers, and Maya's heart erupted in a flurry of excitement. It was soft, almost tentative, but self-assured in a way that screamed _Lucas_. He tasted like sugar cookie and the gross red frosting she hated, but on Lucas' lips, she liked it. The kiss stole her breath a bit as a slew of butterflies unleashed in her stomach. Maya almost reacted, she almost leaned closer, _almost_ parted her lips to deepen the kiss, but just as she was about to do it, Farkle cleared his throat and announced ten seconds had passed.

Lucas broke slowly away from her, and Maya exhaled quietly as her eyes blinked open. They stared at each other for a few beats of silence, and Maya could have sworn everyone else disappeared from the room. And with starling clarity, Maya knew she wanted to kiss him again. A _real_ kiss, unhindered by their friends around them or their commitments or anything at all.

"Alright!" Riley suddenly said, her voice breaking the moment and drawing their attention. "Someone else want to go?"

Maya sat back in her seat further away from Lucas and quickly broke eye contact, smiling and trying to pretend like it hadn't been a big deal, but she couldn't deny that her heart was going a mile a minute. It was beating too hard and too fast to not mean something, no matter how much she honestly wished it wasn't the case.

But she knew exactly what she was feeling right now.

Zay spun quickly to get the fun vibes of the game going again, but Maya felt like time stopped for her for a second. Smackle was screaming for a do over because she and Zay had already gotten each other, but Maya couldn't focus, the laughter and noises around her a blur. She wondered if Lucas had also felt that lightning travel down his back when their lips touched. Maya knew it wasn't right, but her mind was stuck on the kiss she just shared and how the butterflies had danced in her stomach and how fast her pulse had raced. For a random short kiss. With a guy who was her best friend's boyfriend.

"New rule," Maya said, swallowing hard to try to stop her dry throat from cracking. "Anytime you have completed the whole rotation and kissed everyone at least once, you have to go out streaking in the snow."

That brought a round of laughter and agreement, and Maya was so glad that the tense aura around the room dissipated when they were distracted by the new terms. Farkle made some comment about potential hypothermia and was teased ruthlessly by Zay. The game continued, Riley reaching down to spin the bottle, while the others watched it to see who it would land on. But Maya's focus was the farthest thing from the game.

She glanced over at Lucas just as he looked up. Their gazes locked for a moment, and they stared at each other. She could hear her own breathing in her ears. She wasn't sure what she was seeing in his darkened gaze—something she was scared to figure out—but then when Riley landed on Smackle and there were cheers, Maya snapped her gaze away, turning her attention back to game and trying to ignore the tingles of excitement that had crawled down her arm.

The kiss had opened up a can of worms Maya was so sure she'd buried deep in the recesses of her mind. Deep, _deep_ down in her Dungeon of Sadness. But here it was, a messed up revelation unearthed and at the forefront of her mind and staring her in the face because of that untimely, stupid kiss.

 _Fuck_.

She wasn't over Lucas at all.


	80. Could Have 'Beans'

**A/N: Hi Lilly Flower! Agreed; unpasteurised milk is fabuluous :) I spent a summer on a farm once and I actually saw some great perks of living on a farm. Hi Guest! The author of 'archer city, texas' deleted her story a while ago :/ I don't think she has any plans of putting it back.**

 **On queue:** **Zombie apocalypse AU  
**

 **Enjoy! You guys are wonderful! Thank you for the kind reviews and for the warm welcome backs! I'll do my best to really crank out a many of the requests that I can. I'm still working on them. They just take a while. :)  
**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own GMW.**

* * *

 **Title: Could Have "Beans"  
Pairings&Characters: Lucaya, Lucas, Maya, Billy, Missy**  
 **Genre:** **Friendship** **,** **Humor, Romance (kinda),** **AU** **  
Rating: T for Tacky Dates  
Summary: Timing is everything.  
**

 **Request by Malley and Guest for a coffee shop AU. Most coffee shop AUs have a "feel good"/soft (or smutty) element to them. I decided to go another direction, though idk if this worked lol. Thank you for your requests! :3**

 **I took the Lucas, Maya, Billy, and Missy from Wild Wild West and put them in a modern coffee shop setting lol.**

* * *

Lucas was on the verge of dosing off as he sat boredly on the back counter. He stifled a yawn, trying to shake off the fatigue that had suddenly crept in him.

He and Billy had done everything on the task list for the afternoon shift at Beans: cleaned off the portafilter for the espresso machine, replaced used rags with clean ones, replenished the pastries in the rack, wiped down tables and counters, restocked the sugar, honey, and tea in the self-serve station. They had already gotten through the worst part of lunch rush, but now there was a lull in customers and Lucas was bored. It would be another three hours before everyone was pretty much through with classes and work and the next rush would start.

"Give it five more minutes for another customer to come and if not, start up on inventory," Missy said as she skimmed through the task list she'd posted on the wall. "And get off the counter, Lucas. Did you put fresh straws in the straw box?"

He had, but anything beat inventory, so he got off the counter and stooped down to their 'quick fill' storage box under the counter to pretend to fill the straws again.

"It's barely three," Billy said incredulously, crossing his arm in front of his chest. "Why would we get started on inventory so early? The next rush won't start for another few hours."

"The earlier a start we get, the better," she dismissed him with an irritated wave of her hand. "Besides it's never too early to start anything, especially in a job that constantly requires filling, refilling, stocking, restocking, and cleaning up. We need to be prepared. Finish up wiping down the counters quickly please. You've been cleaning the same spot for the past half hour."

Billy sighed in annoyance, rolling his eyes and giving Lucas a knowing look. Lucas didn't blame him. Their brand spanking new (and slightly crazy) general manager had this policy that an employee must never look idle and that there was always something for them to do. And if there weren't many customers, she tended to put the employees on staff on inventory to fill the dull spaces. And inventory was the bane of their existence.

Cramped, hot, with little cockroaches skittering about in the cellar. A worst nightmare.

Ever since Missy Bradford had become the new GM of Beans, she'd gone above and beyond to establish herself as capable by heavily enforcing rules, forcing them to do their jobs right and making sure everything was in tip top shape. And while yes, Lucas understood that those were things that were expected of them in the first place, she took it to an extreme level to the point that even docile Billy kept butting heads with her. Even though their old manager hadn't been too great at making sure rules were followed, at least she had been super chill about everything, so work had been fun in the past.

Thankfully, they were saved from having to undertake the tedious task when the bell on the front door of Beans jingled. Lucas glanced up as Maya Hart walked in—stumbled actually—dressed in some impossibly short, tight party dress, a jaw dropping, super high pair of heels that nearly made him wince with every step she took. She was sporting a pair of sunglasses on her face and pinching the bridge of her nose. It didn't take a genius to figure out that she'd been out partying late that night. Lucas snickered to himself as he watched her take slow, laborious steps to the counter.

"When a customer walks through the door, remember to stand at the register so they know you are ready to serve them," Missy reiterated for probably the thirtieth time that afternoon.

"You were already standing there," Lucas pointed out when Billy's jaw clenched from her comment. "What's the point of us moving from our place?"

"Hi," Missy said, ignoring Lucas and smiling at Maya when she got to the front of the counter. "What would you like to order?"

She groaned, leaning heavily against it. "Huckleberry."

Lucas stood up and brushed his hands off, already knowing what she wanted. There was a borderline miserable expression on her face.

"I'm sorry…? That's not a menu option. But you're welcome to look for a bit if you need time to decide."

Maya frowned. "Huckleberry is Lucas."

"Oh." Missy turned to him questioningly, gesturing for him to take over the cash register, and Billy snickered from where he was shuffling the imitation sugars around on the self-serve station. "Your girlfriend wants you."

"Not my girlfriend." Lucas shot Billy a look as he came up to the register. Maya shifted on each foot as she took off her heels and replaced them with some flipflops she had in her bag. Without them, she was even shorter than before. "Let me guess: walk of shame Tuesday?"

"This isn't a walk of shame look. I'm just hungover. And I'm craving your latte, stat. I need it like I need air to breathe," Maya tipped her sunglasses down just enough so that he could see her slightly red rimmed eyes.

He grimaced. She looked a little green in the face too.

"If not the walk of shame, then," he gestured to her clothes, "why exactly this getup? Especially on a Tuesday afternoon."

"For your information, _Huckleberry_ , my friend had her bachelorette party yesterday and things got kind of wild at the club. I forgot how bad coming down from a liquor high always is. I crashed at a friend's place last night—"

"Male friend?" he asked playfully.

"— _female_ , and this morning, I felt like crap and I decided that I should get something to help this raging hangover." She crossed her arms in front of her chest. "I didn't hook up with anyone last night. Stop insinuating."

"Who has a bachelorette party on a Monday? Also, your friend is getting married this soon? A little young to be getting hitched in university, don't you think?"

"We're twenty-two. Practically out of school already. Anyway, they've known they were going to get married to each other since we were kids," she said dismissively, clearly finding it all ridiculous. "Childhood friends, fell in love in high school, that whole spiel."

"Ah. The classic fairy tale."

"Yeah, now can you make my latte?" Maya gave him an exasperated, borderline pouty look. He would never tell her to her face, but Maya was really cute whenever she made that face. "Pounding headache, remember?"

"The usual?" He punched in the information in the register and printed the paper before tacking it on their 'to do' wire.

"I need extra of whatever this elixir stuff you put in it is though. Make it strong. This hangover is a doozy."

"Coming right up." He turned to Missy who had begun to remove soy milk from refrigerator near the espresso machine. "Hold on, switch with me again, Missy. I'll make this one."

She hesitated, her eyes narrowed suspiciously. "Alright… but follow proper protocol for making the drink. You can't give her more flavour shots of anything. And if it costs extra, don't forget to include it in the cost calculation."

"Old hook up, Lucas?" Billy asked, swiping his rag halfheartedly back and forth across the counter again and pretending that he was cleaning it. Missy glowered at him in irritation, but he ignored her death glare.

"No," Lucas snorted as he shook his head at the memory. "We went on one bad date three years ago that ended with a black eye. And now she comes here pretty much every time I have a shift—"

"What can I say, I'm addicted to coffee," Maya drawled, digging in her cluttered bag for her card. Missy hovered behind him, looking increasingly more and more cross the longer it took Maya to get her card to pay.

"You sure it's not Lucas you're addicted to?" Billy waggled his eyebrows at her, and Maya made a gag motion with her finger.

"—and I make her lattes while she makes fun of me for my Texas roots." Lucas finished. "You know, you drinking coffee this much is probably the reason why you're so short."

She lifted and dropped one shoulder, still fairly preoccupied with finding her method of payment. Two students walked into Beans, and Missy perked up, immediately switching the expression on her face to a congenial one. "I take no offence at that anymore, so it has no effect. Start looking for better insults, Hopalong."

"Who got the black eye, Lucas? You?" Billy asked in amusement.

"Maya actually."

"Yeah, no thanks to you…" she muttered, dropping a bunch of old receipts in the little trashcan they kept near the cash register for unwanted papers. "Still hate you for it."

Lucas rolled his eyes. "It was an accident."

Maya's head snapped up almost immediately at those words, a sharp glint in her eyes, and he knew she would be spewing venom quite soon. Deserved venom, sure. But it wasn't like it'd been a walk in the park for him either.

Billy caught her look and abandoned his current task to watch the brewing argument. He leaned against the counter, his chin resting on his palm as a smirk grew on his face. "This should be a good one."

"Who takes a girl to a rodeo for a first date?" Maya sneered.

"Who shows up to a date completely wasted off her ass? You couldn't even get to my car without tripping. I practically carried you down the stairs. And then you _threw_ _up_ on me."

"At least it wasn't in your car. I got jabbed in the face by some guy's elbow! And two minutes later, he delivered me a matching one on my other eye! And as if that wasn't bad enough, I got jostled off the bench and fell on my ass. It was a nearly two story fall that hurt like hell!" She barked back, her cheeks blushing the slightest bit from the reminder of the awful embarrassment of the night.

Lucas chuckled under his breath. Granted, he'd felt bad that Maya had fallen, but she landed on piles of hay and other than a bruised ego and bum, she'd seemed fine. And it had been one of the funniest things he'd seen in a long time.

"It's not funny," Maya growled menacingly.

"Kinda funny."

"No, it's not! I looked like a racoon for a week!"

"I had to throw out my jacket and those pants because the smell of your vodka infested, chimichanga, ice cream vomit wouldn't get out of my clothes. I'm still haunted by the memories of what it looked like." He rose a brow, staring at her impassively. "Who really lost that night?"

Billy laughed hard, straightening up to get to his station as the new customers moved to get in line. "You know, I've had bad dates, but yours sounds like a horrid nightmare."

"Nightmare is an understatement," Lucas muttered. He never was able to understand how Maya could manage to be that much of a Calamity Jane almost effortlessly. "Her drunk? No words."

She crossed her arms in front of her chest. "That's unfair. That was back in my freshman partying phase. I've grown since then."

"Well I have too, so maybe you can let go of that grudge over our date."

Her answering grin was a tinge acerbic, and not for the first time, Lucas found himself wondering why she always seemed to defy expectations of what he thought she would be. "You'll never live it down. I think you were just about the worst first date I've ever had."

"The feeling is mutual, Shortstack."

"I can't imagine what other poor girl has been subjected to that crappy rodeo date too." She dug in her purse a bit more before procuring her card.

"Actually, I prefer hoedowns for first dates now." He winked as he took it to finish the transaction.

Maya's eyes narrowed, though he could see her fighting to keep from smiling. "Kiss my ass, Sundance."

Billy snorted. "I'm sure he'd love that…"

"Lucas, wrap this up," Missy said tersely, poking him in the back with a sharp manicured nail. "Holding up the line to chat up a customer is a bad business practice. Take this more seriously please."

Lucas ignored Missy. "Here's your receipt."

"Thanks." Maya took it and her card back before heading over to a small table in the corner to wait.

Once he'd finished up, Missy nearly jostled him out of the way to get back to the cash register, immediately doling out apologies to the people who had been waiting patiently for Lucas to get done. He ambled over to his own station and espresso machine to make Maya's drink. He poured the milk to prepare for frothing.

"So. Did you and Maya ever bang?" Billy asked Lucas, taking the newest order slip that Missy practically threw at him. "Sensing a lot of unresolved sexual tension between you two."

Missy shot them both a displeased look over her shoulder. "Inappropriate conversation material!"

Lucas gave Billy an incredulous look as he set the milk under the steam wand and clicked on the machine. It grumbled to life with a low whir before filling up the entire coffee shop with noise. "Do you really think after that shitfest of a date we were interested in each other anymore?"

"Are you interested now?"

"What?" he asked, a bit distracted.

"Dating her. Or hooking up. Are you interested?"

"I don't know. She's Maya. Obsessed with coffee, annoying. She's like a gnat that won't stop bugging you." Lucas shrugged. "We're just friends. If even that, because half the time I think she wants to wring my neck and I don't know… she's wacky."

"Doesn't seem that way to me," Billy said in reply, adding two shots of chocolate syrup to the blender for the mocha Frappuccino someone ordered. "I think she's digging your vibe."

"We're not attracted to each other."

Although arguably, Lucas did think she was pretty attractive. A lot of it had to do with her wit, charm, and chill attitude towards life. Plus she wasn't flashy or materialistic or high maintenance. And it was an added bonus that she was pretty hot too. But he couldn't see them dating without one or the other trying to strangle the other at some point. And her unpredictable rowdiness was a bit of a deterrent since he didn't know what to expect from her.

Then again, they weren't the same stupid freshmen they had been three years ago. Maybe they hadn't been compatible back then because the timing didn't work out when they met each other. But now…

"You only work Tuesday and Thursday afternoons and Sunday late evenings, right? I'm trying to figure out why she comes here specifically every Tuesday and only wants _your_ coffee."

"Because I make good hangover lattes," Lucas replied, holding up Maya's cup and shaking it a bit to remind Billy of the reason why she bothered stopping by that day.

"Or because she likes you."

"Maya doesn't like me."

"Seems like she goes out of her way to see you on Tuesdays. Especially after a night that ended in a hangover. If I were in her situation, I would have gone straight home and slept it off. But she's here like clockwork," Billy reasoned. "Why would she do that?"

"That's because we have this bickering thing going on. She probably just wants her weekly dose." But even Lucas knew that was a weak excuse.

"She wants her weekly dose alright. Of Lucas Friar," Billy said under his breath.

"Less chatting, more working," Missy barked when a few other people entered Beans.

This time, Lucas did roll his eyes, but more so because of what Billy was saying. They worked in silence for a bit, Lucas measuring out the perfect quantity of honey for Maya's drink while Billy finished blending the Frappuccino and poured hot water in a different cup. Lucas waited a few seconds to give Missy time to cool off before he started up the conversation again.

"Fuck off, Billy."

"You're just mad because as usual, I'm right and you're too stubborn to realise it," Billy secured a lid on the cup of hot water and moved both finished drinks to the pick-up counter. "Raquel, mocha frappe? And Kelsie, peach tea?"

"I don't want to hear that from a guy who can't even watch Wile E Coyote on Looney Tunes without getting nightmares," Lucas drawled in response, mixing up Maya's drink after putting in an extra shot of vanilla like he knew she liked it.

"Hey! It's a valid fear! Coyotes have sharp teeth and claws and can tear you apart if you're not careful." Billy looked affronted. "Anyway, I'm just saying. Her behaviour is highly suspect."

Lucas looked where Maya had taken another old receipt out of her cluttered bag, looking over it with a frown. Billy did have a point, and there was a good chance he could have missed some obvious signs she might have given him in the past because of his mental fixation on what he assumed was an antagonistic relationship between them. Maya annoyed him at times, but it wasn't like he found her an unpleasant person. In fact, he was pretty sure he would enjoy her company, even if she was threatening to rip his head off.

"It's been three years since that horrible date, hasn't it?" Billy wiped off the steaming wand on the espresso machine with a clean rag, preparing it for use again. "You could be missing your chance."

Lucas put a lid on Maya's drink. "Billy, Maya and I won't work. She's this weird frenemy person—"

"Who you're attracted to."

"—who I can barely have a normal conversation with. All we do is bicker."

"Here. Get to work, Billy," Missy said, purposely slapping the three new order receipts on Billy's station.

Billy's eye twitched in aggravation, though he tried to ignore her. "Well maybe on a first real date, you can try. You never know how it could go, but if you don't give it a chance, how will you know?"

Billy was right. Sometimes during their interactions Lucas _did_ wonder if he and Maya were horrible together or if they could be exactly perfect for each other. But he couldn't figure it out once and for all unless he went for it.

"Missy, I'm taking my break now," Lucas said resolutely, untying his apron and leaving it on the back counter.

" _What_? You're not allowed to take a break right now. It's one thirty minute break for every six hour shift. You haven't worked six hours." She spun around to face them, clearly beyond wound up because of them both. "We have to prep everything for the coming rush and if you take your break now it won't be ready in time because there's only three of us and there won't be enough time to really restock everything and get it ready for when all those customers will be ordering multiple drinks at—"

"Christ, woman!" Billy snapped, slapping his hand over her mouth and shutting her up. Her eyebrows shot up in surprise at suddenly being quieted. "You are so goddamn annoying! Your voice sounds like nails on chalkboard! Can you chill? Please?"

There was silence for a bit, and Lucas shook his head, already anticipating some blowout to happen. Missy's eyes turned vengeful after that, a deep rage in them and in the next second, Billy yelped, yanking his hand away from her mouth. He stared down at the fresh teeth marks on his palm in disbelief.

"The hell? Did you seriously _bite_ me?!"

"You had the nerve to try to shut me up! No one does that. _Ever_!" Missy shouted back, jabbing him repeatedly in the chest. "That's what you get!"

Billy swatted her hand away, standing up straighter and matching her glare. "You are the most anal, neurotic, prissy, _crazy_ general manager we've ever had. What is your problem? You're wound up so tight, I'm pretty sure people could use _you_ as a girdle!"

"I work nine manager shifts a week and for some reason, the only problems I ever have are when you and Lucas are working the same shift! Can you take this job seriously—"

"It's part time, minimum wage work in a fucking coffee shop."

"— _because_ despite what you might think about this job, it is the perfect resume builder to gain experience for the professional world which I would very much like to enter but that won't happen if I have you fucks as my employees and you make this establishment look bad!"

"You seriously need to get laid. When was the last time? Four years ago?"

Missy's expression darkened. "Like you have room to talk, you ass-licking penis head!"

" _Penis head_?" Billy barked with a derogatory laugh. "What the fuck kind of insult is that?"

Lucas sighed and shook his head as he took her distraction as an opportunity to leave. Billy must have really gotten Missy riled up for her to be cursing up a storm right now. The customers waiting in line were utterly confused, staring at the shouting pair behind the counter. He walked out from around the counter with Maya's drink and headed over to her.

"One vanilla latte, soy milke, hold the whipped cream, extra shot of my mysterious hangover elixir." He set it down in front of her as he slid into the seat across from her.

Like the other patrons of the coffee shop, she was watching the fight. "Sounds like a party's happening there."

"Just a typical afternoon with Missy and Billy."

"I'm loving this fight," Maya laughed before turning back to Lucas with a devious grin. "Maybe I should apply for a job here. Tag team with your boss and make your life hell."

Lucas' eyes narrowed. She wasn't joking around. He knew she would definitely do it too. "Not funny."

"Kinda funny," she riposted, wrinkling her nose a bit as she taunted him with his own words. Maya smiled, pleased with herself, and picked up her drink to take a sip. She closed her eyes briefly before sighing in heavenly bliss. "What do you put in these? I can already feel my hangover melting away."

"Secret family recipe."

"Thanks, I feel better already." She looked down at herself. "…Though I can't say the same thing about the way I look today."

"You look fine."

Maya glanced up at him weirdly. "That's a new one. Where's the roadkill jab?"

"Wasn't finished." He smirked. "You look fine… for someone who looks like roadkill."

"There it is…" she grumbled, taking another sip of her drink. "Don't you have somewhere to be?"

"I'm on break."

"And?"

"I thought I'd take my break with you," Lucas stated as he leaned back in his chair, gauging her reaction.

Her cup froze midway to her mouth, and she shifted her gaze to his. Her expression was generally confused, but even he could see the short spark of delight in her gaze for a moment right before it disappeared behind her typical mask of indifference.

"To what do I owe the pleasure?"

But her words didn't have the same sarcastic bite they usually had when she addressed him. Lucas figured that was as good a time as any to try his luck.

"Listen, I know we've got our whole dynamic set in stone—you think I'm an insufferable grump, I think you're a pain in the ass—but if you can manage to tolerate me for one evening, I was wondering if you'd want to go out sometime."

"Like a date." It was a statement, not a question.

He nodded. "Think of it as a replacement for that messy one three years ago."

Maya snorted, giving him an impassive look. "What would I gain from dating you, Huckleberry? A tedious story about the calf you birthed?"

"An opportunity to have a semi-normal date."

"Hmmm… Normal's overrated though," she responded playfully.

"Your response?" he asked impatiently.

Maya was silent for a while when she realised he wasn't joking around with this request. Her brows furrowed as she seriously contemplated what he'd said. But even though she looked hesitant, he remarked that she didn't seem altogether opposed to the idea.

"…If this all blows up in our face, you'll still make my lattes right?"

He shrugged. "It already blew up in our faces. There's no pressure."

"But the lattes, man," she insisted. "I need assurance."

"Yes, I'll still make your lattes." Lucas chuckled. "Is that your only requirement for going on a date with me?"

"Of sorts… Just so we're clear though, I kinda hate you."

He smiled. She was a bad liar. "I know."

Maya hummed pensively, staring at him as she chewed her thumb nail before finally nodding her head.

"Okay. Meet me tonight at seven in front of that mini arcade at the commons quad hangout. We'll play one round of that Shoot 'Em Up zombie game. I beat you? No date, but I get unlimited lattes every time I come here."

How did he know she would make everything a challenge with her? Belatedly, he realised it was a part of her personality that he found endearing.

"So that means you'll go on a date with me?"

"You have to win first, Ranger Rick."

Not a problem for him. He'd been skeet shooting on Billy's grandfather's ranch in outer Austin since he was a kid. Maya was clearly confident in her skills, but she was definitely underestimating him.

He smirked. "So that's a yes."

"Idiot." She picked her bag up from the ground and slung it on her shoulder. "Tonight at seven, yeah?"

"It's a date," Lucas responded, just to see her bristle in annoyance. She didn't disappoint.

"You'll never win employee of the month with that attitude!" Missy's voice suddenly carried throughout the coffee shop.

"Aw shucks! I'd always wanted to get one extra free drink per week," came the sarcastic reply.

Maya and Lucas' gazes locked as they turned away from glancing at the fight, and they both smiled, chuckling a bit at the stupid fight those two were having behind the counter. It was a weird moment coupled with an even weirder look that was a mix between bemused and some sort of fond relatability. But in that brief moment, a thought flittered in his mind that this was the Maya he'd met during freshman orientation that he had wanted to get to know better before their disaster of a date happened.

And if he was honest with himself, he still wanted to get to know her, despite everything that had happened.

"You know what?" Lucas said, rising to his feet and cocking his head towards the door. "Why wait until seven? Let's go settle this right now."

"Don't you have work?"

"Missy's clearly occupied. By the time I come back, she probably won't even have realised I left in the first place."

"You think you could win that quickly, huh?"

He slipped his hands in his pockets with a nonchalant shrug. "I think I will win, period."

Maya smirked, standing up as well and making her way to the door of the place. "Alright Huckleberry, you're on. Let's go."

He followed her out the door of Beans, a similar smirk on his face. Billy had been right about trying again. Maybe they really could build something out of this odd relationship they had.


	81. To The Rescue

**A/N: This is quick and carelessly written so I update _something._ I'm back for good, just not as free timewise as I was years ago. You might have to get a little used to less frequent updating, but I'm still writing my stories.  
**

 **Hi Guest! I don't have a schedule for updating, and now with the hours I'm pulling for my job, Wednesday and Saturday are the only days I can update and that's only if I finish my tasks on Tues and Friday. In September, I have no idea how it's going to be since I'll be in school then, but I'm trying to finish up all my stories before that. (Lol I doubt it's going to happen, but a girl can dream).  
**

 **Hi Guest! I'm sorry you've been bullied :/ I wish I had been available to update so you had something else to focus on during this time. Are you okay? If you want someone to chat with, my PM box is always open. Have you considered taking up writing as a way to take your mind off of things like that?**

 **On queue:** **Zombie apocalypse AU  
**

 **Enjoy! Thank you for the reviews! I know this story is updated pretty infrequently, but I'm working to get chapters out and finish up your requests for this sooner. Just for your knowledge, I have about 70 requests, so it will take me a while, but I'm working on it. Now that I've parsed through more requests, these requests will be fulfilled faster, but they will probably be combined _a lot_. Thanks for your patience, loves! :)  
**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own GMW.**

* * *

 **Title: To The Rescue  
Pairings&Characters: Maya, Lucas, Zay**  
 **Genre: WAFF, Slice of Life,** **Romance (ish),** **AU** **  
Rating: T for Troublesome Circumstances  
Summary: How in the world did she get stuck in the tree?  
**

* * *

"Friar, got any plans this weekend?" Zay asked as he walked in the break room to grab some water from the fridge.

Lucas looked up from the paperwork he was filling with a shrug. "Not really. Probably going to be here."

One of their colleagues was travelling upstate for her sister's baby shower, and Lucas had decided to fill in for her. It wasn't like there was anything waiting at his empty apartment anyway except a fridge half full of moldy food and whatever bugs had made a nest in his residence in his absence. Besides, going back home only served to remind him how stagnant his life had recently become. It was better to keep busy at the station than to sit in a quiet home pondering the mundanity of his life.

"You need to get yourself a girlfriend. You're married to your job."

"Nothing wrong with being married to your job."

"Yeah, but you're missing certain perks," Zay replied with a vulgar tongue gesture. "Like a warm p—"

"Shut up, man." Lucas cut him off, rolling his eyes in exasperation as he went back to his work. Zay left the room cackling at his joke.

Lucas' phone rang, and he sighed when he saw the caller ID was Mrs. Hinkley. She usually called on Saturday afternoon so this came as a surprise to him.

She called about three times a week asking for help to lift heavy objects or move her preserves from the top shelf of her pantry or carry her gardening supplies up to the roof. His company officer asked her to refrain from contacting the fire station unless it was an absolute emergency, but she tended to ignore them. Lucas was usually dispatched to go take care of her ceaseless requests—something about being the perfect crush for little old ladies—and since then, he'd become like a surrogate son to her.

He honestly didn't mind helping her from time to time though. After all, she was a lonely, tiny eighty-five year old woman whose husband had passed away the year before. So he'd given her his personal cellphone number to keep the station line clear, and now she rewarded his help with snickerdoodles and brownies to share with his other workmates.

"Mrs. Hinkley, your call is early," he said as he picked up.

"Yes, well, I don't need any particular help today, Lucas, but my neighbour has been causing a huge disturbance with her situation. She's very friendly and cute, but sometimes she does the goofiest stuff. She always waters my plants for me when I forget, but sometimes her impulses get her into difficult situations. She is very much like her mother sometimes. Let me tell you, I met that woman when she visited once, and she is one of the wackiest people I have ever met. Between the two of them, they could probably burn the whole apartment building down."

"What happened to your neighbour?" He gently steered the conversation back on the right path.

"Oh her? She's stuck in a tree. The big beautiful one that's outside our windows? The one with the gorgeous orange leaves now that fall is upon us? I looked outside and saw her in the branches. She can't get down, and she's causing a big fuss and making a lot of noise because everyone is just watching her and she refuses to come down."

"Alright. I'll bring a ladder, and I'll be on my way. Tell her to stay put and try not to move," Lucas said as he stood and left to head for the garage.

That particular tree was fairly large, but the branches were also a little thin. If she made one wrong move, she could find herself tumbling to the ground.

"Thank you, Lucas. I'll do just that."

He took one of the portable ladders and one of the keys to the pickup trucks and headed to the apartment complex all the while wondering how on earth this woman had managed to get into the tree in the first place. There weren't any branches low enough to climb it, but if she'd gotten up that way, he could see why he couldn't get down now. He sighed as he ignited the engine of the car and headed out on his way, hoping that he wouldn't encounter unforeseen difficulties of some sort.

When Lucas finally arrived at the street, there was a small crowd gathered there all staring up at something in the tree. He pulled the ladder out of the trunk and headed over there, asking people to clear a path so he could get to the base. When he got to the bottom and looked up, his brows lifted in surprise to find a blonde woman clinging to an unstable branch wearing nothing but a baggy button down covered in paint stains.

And by nothing but, he meant _nothing but._

She was perched barefoot in a tree, parts of her wild hair covered in paint, dry leaves and twigs, and there was charcoal all over her legs and arms. But above that, she was wearing no pants, and everyone could quite easily see her panties. Either she didn't seem to notice, or she just didn't care.

"Hi, excuse me? I'm Lucas Friar from fire station five. I received a distress call from a neighbour that you're stuck in the tree."

Someone near him snorted and started snickering and the blonde woman snapped her gaze around and growled at the man who was laughing. Lucas was startled by how crystalline—and menacing—her eyes were.

"Don't laugh, you stupid fuck! Once I get down there, I'll kick you in the shins."

The outburst only served to make other people start laughing.

"Ma'am? I'm here to help you get down," Lucas said, also a bit amused by her positioning.

"I'm not trying to get down. At least not yet," she said, returning her gaze back up into the branches as she pointed up. Lucas missed it before, but there was a white, unmoving ball of fluff that seemed to be perched further up the branches. He squinted his eyes and realised it was a cat. "I'm taking care of my friend's cat Princess, but my ferret went nuts and chased her until she jumped out my window to this tree. I followed her out of my window to catch her, but I didn't realise how big this tree is and now I'm stuck too. She refuses to listen to me so I can't get Princess down, I have a ton of commission pieces to finish, I have no clue where Ginger went, and my friend is going to _kill_ me if she finds out about this."

"…Why did you follow the cat out of your window?" Her logic made no sense to him. Especially since the branch she was on was about level with the third floor. Had she not thought about the consequences of climbing in a tree that high to get the cat?

"Look, that's not important. And I wasn't thinking then. I just jumped out after her as soon as I saw she was trying to leave."

"Alright, don't worry. I'll get you down." He headed over to the tree and positioned the ladder against the trunk near her feet, making sure it was steady and secured properly.

"Get the cat first or Missy will throw me into the Hudson alive."

Lucas rose a brow incredulously. Her priorities clearly needed sorting out. "You're sitting on an unstable branch and your underwear is on full display for everyone."

Her face burned red. "Then why don't you stop looking, ya perv?"

"It's more important that you get down first." Lucas held the bottom of the ladder to keep it from shifting. "Come down here safely, and I promise I'll get the cat right after. She'll be fine. And if not, cats have nine lives, right?"

"Don't joke! That's not funny. If the cat dies, I'm dead too!"

Lucas couldn't help but chuckle at her dramatics, even when she glanced below her shoulder and gave him a sharp glare that wiped the smile from his face almost immediately. If looks could kill, he'd be six feet under right now.

"Just get down. Step down on the rung near your foot. I'm holding it steady." Lucas averted his gaze as she carefully shifted her weight and placed her feet on the top. He was in full, unobstructed view of those blue panties of hers. And so were many other people who were watching in interest. "Nothing to see here folks; she's okay."

She used the trees and branches to lower herself until she could use the rungs of the ladder to climb down.

"Alright party's over," she snapped, turning and snarling at the spectators. "And you better run, Jerry. I saw you laughing, and I know where you live."

The guy named Jerry who'd been laughing turned tail and ran. Most of the people in the crowd also dispersed since the drama was basically over, but some others stuck around to watch the rest of it unfold. The blonde woman stepped off the ladder beside Lucas and ran a tired hand through her twig-infested hair. She pulled out a few leaves and groaned in irritation. Lucas was utterly surprised to see how short she was. It made even less sense to him now that she would climb into such a huge tree in the first place when chances of her getting out easily were slim. She was fearless, but definitely hadn't thought it through.

With a sigh, Lucas began to make his way up the ladder to get the white cat.

"Careful! Try not to spook her or she'll go higher up." The woman called up from the ground.

As he reached up to Princess, the cat scratched the top of his hand. He inhaled sharply and snatched his arm back to look at the now bleeding three identical curved claw marks marring his skin.

"She's pretty nasty because she's spoiled. You have to grab her from the back or she'll try to scratch you," the woman said to him again.

"It would have been nice to know that _before_ I tried to get her, you know?" Lucas growled back.

She chuckled somewhat deviously. "I had to get my revenge about the nine lives joke somehow."

Was she serious? He was here to help!

This time, Lucas was careful to grab Princess from behind. She squirmed and mewled angrily, and she arched her back as she tried to cling to the branches, but Lucas managed to gently pry her off until she was tucked safely in the cradle of one of his arms. She stopped squirming soon enough and settled down, her head held high almost haughtily. When Lucas was sure she was secure, he cautiously climbed back down the ladder.

The blonde woman was smiling in sheer relief when he stepped onto the ground.

"Gosh, you scared the crap out of me, Princess…" she murmured, gently scratching the cat's chin. "Don't ever do that again."

"Where do you want me to put her?" Lucas asked, kind of fed up with the day's events.

"Come with me."

Lucas followed her back inside and headed up the stairs with her, as she led him to her apartment on the third floor. She pushed open the door, and his brows lifted in stupefaction. Her entire living room was furnished with unfinished paintings and clothes strewn about. There were dirty dishes lying about in different places almost at the same frequency of the takeout cartons he spotted. And paint splatters were _everywhere_. Her apartment was a cacophony of colour—the complete opposite of his apartment—and he wondered how the woman could live like this. Her life was probably all over the place. No wonder the cat had jumped out the window. Lucas would have done the exact same.

"Can you put her inside her cage, please?" she asked him as she hurried off down one of the hallways.

Lucas set the cat in her giant cage, which unsurprisingly looked like a castle. It was huge and took up almost a fourth of the woman's living room on its own. He completely understood why she called the cat spoiled now. This cat probably was given everything she wanted.

"What, no thank you?" he drawled sarcastically to Princess. "Especially after I got scratched while rescuing you?"

The cat meowed and turned away as she headed to her food bowl, and Lucas could have _sworn_ she rolled her eyes at him. She walked back in shortly after, holding a square bandage as she headed over to Lucas.

"What's this for?"

"It's the only ones I have, but here. I noticed the scratch when I was petting her. I didn't realise she'd actually gotten a hit in. She usually just swings at you as a warning." She unpeeled the Hello Kitty bandage and gently placed it on his hand, being careful not to press too hard as she made sure the adhesive was stuck in place. "There. A cute, girly bandage just for you."

"I appreciate it," Lucas replied dryly. "Even though it's kind of your fault I got scratched in the first place."

She scoffed. " _Kind of_?"

"My mistake. Totally your fault."

"It's a wee little scratch, ya big baby." She glanced up at him with a small, teasing smile.

He couldn't help but smile back, a bit captivated by the glittering oceanic blue of her gaze. He hadn't really noticed before since he'd been so busy trying to help them get down, but she was pretty cute. Especially with the smattering of freckles on her nose and cheekbones.

He wasn't sure how long they'd stood there staring at each other, but a crash coming from a room down the hall brought him back to reality.

"I should probably get back to the station." He cleared his throat as he rubbed the bandage covered injury on his hand. "Lot of work to be done."

"Right…" She backed away from him and ran a hand through her hair, blushing a bit when she pulled out some tree leaves. "That's probably Ginger. I should go calm her down, uh, but thank you for the help."

"If you ever need help getting the cat out of the tree again, try calling animal control instead of climbing it yourself. No offence but your reach isn't exactly long so the chances of you getting stuck again are high."

The corners of her lips curved up a bit sarcastically. "Oh sure. Yeah, I'll definitely consider that when I'm panicking because a ferret is running around my head and my friend's pet just jumped out of a window and could potentially end up hit by a car or snatched up by an eagle."

He snorted. "An eagle? Really?"

She yawned as she stretched her arms high above her head, and once again, Lucas had to look away when she flashed her underwear. "You never know what crazy things could happen."

"Just… try to stay out of trouble," Lucas said as he began to leave. It sounded a little ridiculous even to his ears to warn her, but she honestly did seem like the type of woman to end up in troublesome circumstances over small things like this. "Have a good afternoon."

She nodded with a genuine smile. "You too, Ranger Rick."

Lucas chuckled as he walked out of the apartment and made his way down the stairs to go back to work. As he gathered his ladder and prepared to leave, he realised he never actually got her name. She'd been pretty preoccupied with the circumstances at hand to give it to him, and Mrs. Hinkley hadn't mentioned it either. But somehow, he wasn't concerned.

Call him weird, but he had a feeling that this wouldn't be the last time they crossed paths. He had no doubt she would get stuck in a tree again.


End file.
